How Mauricio Pochettino ‘Buyout Clause’ Compares to Cost of Man Utd Alternatives

It would reportedly cost more than $10 million for Manchester United to extract a willing Mauricio Pochettino from his U.S. men’s national team contract, yet the sought-after Argentine isn’t nearly the most expensive candidate on the club’s shortlist.

If Manchester United decide to fire Michael Carrick when co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe hosts CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox in Monaco later this week, it is crucial that the club gets the next managerial appointment right.

Since Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s reign fizzled out early in 2021–22—off the back of successive third and second-place Premier League finishes, plus four semifinals and a final—that is something United have struggled with. It often comes with a consequence of great expense, which is not a good look when other costs generally have been stripped back.

Erik ten Hag ultimately won two trophies—the Carabao Cup in 2022–23 and the FA Cup in 2023–24—putting the Dutchman among only six managers in the club’s history to have done so.

Despite his triumphs, United considered replacing Ten Hag in the summer of 2024, before deciding to stick, extending his contract and firing him anyway within four months at a cost of £14.5 million ($19.5 million at today’s rate). It cost £11 million ($14.8 million) to break Ruben Amorim out of his Sporting CP contract as a replacement, and another £16 million ($21.5 million) to fire him after 14 months.

Former United captain Carrick was unattached when he returned to Old Trafford as interim manager last January, costing the club nothing to appoint. Seemingly on a lower salary than his two most recent predecessors, a payout to him would also be less. Should he lose his job, the final amount would be confirmed when United’s 2026–27 accounts are published towards the end of next year.

How Much It Would Cost Man Utd to Hire Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricioi Pochettino — A clause makes Mauricio Pochettino available for a set price. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Breaking a new manager out of an existing contract with another employer is always going to carry a cost. Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a candidate, having been of general interest to Manchester United for some 10 years already, but is under contract with U.S. Soccer.

The Argentine only signed that deal in August, following the expiration of his previous terms at the end of the 2026 World Cup. It has given him greater influence over the long-term development of soccer in America, but there is a predetermined buyout clause that Manchester United might not consider astronomical for a manager of his experience and reputation.

The Athletic reports an amount set at $10 million, although that would increase by “millions more dollars” to also extract Pochettino’s trusted coaching staff.

Comparing the Cost With Alternative Managers

Julian Nagelsmann is one of a few unattached options. | Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

The figure for Pochettino—without accounting for his staff—is less than half what it has been reported it might cost to poach Unai Emery from Aston Villa. Even with Pochettino’s staff included, it would still only be a fraction of the price.

The revered Spaniard is close to a new contract at Villa Park, following a recent meeting to discuss long-term strategy beyond his current terms due to expire in 2029. There is no set clause for Emery and The Telegraph has reported that Aston Villa would ask for £20 million ($26.9 million) to let him go.

Given that Emery is reported to be happy with life at Villa, it might be a non-starter anyway.

Hiring someone who is unattached should eliminate, or at the very least vastly reduce the cost. Eddie Howe is another linked with the job at Old Trafford. The 48-year-old Englishman remains out of work after quitting Newcastle United in July, but the terms of his exit included a compensation sum owed to the Magpies should he quickly be hired by another club or national team.

The payments are already reducing, having started £6 million in the summer and estimated by BBC Sport to be around £3 million ($4 million) by the end of October. The compensation timeline is expected to expire completely before the current season is up.

Potential Compensation Cost to Man Utd Hiring Leading Candidates

Manager	Current Team	Compensation
Mauricio Pochettino	USMNT	$10 million
Unai Emery	Aston Villa	$26.9 million
Eddie Howe	-	$4 million
Julian Nagelsmann	-	$0
Antonio Conte	-	$0
Sir Gareth Southgate	-	$0

The price for Howe is relatively nominal and getting smaller, but Manchester United would not have to pay a penny in compensation should a deal be struck with either Julian Nagelsmann or Antonio Conte, both out of work since the summer.

Nagelsmann is not even 40 years old but has a decade of managerial experience behind him. Bayern Munich had paid a world-record compensation fee in 2021, estimated at the time to be worth around $30 million, to take the German from RB Leipzig. But his resignation following Germany’s shock elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 means he is available for no cost.

Conte is in a similar situation. The Italian, who has won six league championships as a manager in Italy and England, left Napoli in May and has not yet returned to work.

Sir Gareth Southgate, the choice pushed by former sporting director Dan Ashworth to replace Ten Hag in 2024, would also be a no-cost option. The former England manager hasn’t worked in club soccer since 2009.

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