The ‘Respectful’ Start Date Proposed for Mauricio Pochettino at Man Utd

The Argentine is likely to be heading to Old Trafford in the second half of next week.

Mauricio Pochettino will leave U.S. Soccer. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to start work as Manchester United manager on Wednesday, Nov. 18 or Thursday, Nov. 19, allowing him to honor his immediate final commitments to the USMNT and not leave the U.S. Soccer federation out on a limb.

Michael Carrick was fired by United on Thursday, paying the price for poor results at the start of the season and paving the way for Pochettino to fill the newly vacant hotseat at Old Trafford.

Pochettino has a break clause in his contract with U.S. Soccer, signed as recently as August following the decision to extend after the 2026 World Cup, which United will have to trigger. It is reportedly worth $10 million (£7 million).

BBC Sport explains it hasn’t happened yet but is “expected to be a formality” as the process nears a swift conclusion only days after it first became a possibility. Pochettino himself has also now communicated to U.S. Soccer that he wishes to accept the Manchester United opportunity, which is another key moment in making this a reality.

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MORE ON CARRICK’S FIRING, POTENTIAL MAURICIO POCHETTINO HIRING

• Man Utd Fire Carrick After Disastrous Start to 2026–27

• The Numbers Behind Carrick’s Failed Man Utd Reign

• Man Utd Make Formal Approach for USMNT Boss Pochettino

• The Story of Man Utd’s 10-Year Interest in Pochettino

• How Pochettino Buyout Clause Compares to Alternatives

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Pochettino in Place for Man Utd’s Liverpool Clash

Pochettino will be thrown in at the deep end. | Mark Thorstenson/ISI Photos/Getty Images

It was made clear earlier in the week that United would want a successor to Carrick in place before the club faces Liverpool in the Premier League following the resumption of club soccer. That match at Anfield, a baptism of fire if ever there was one, is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22.

As relayed by the BBC, Pochettino’s first day on the job in Manchester will be the preceding Wednesday or Thursday. It means he can still lead the USMNT in upcoming Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti before leaving his post.

The second quarterfinal leg takes place in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Nov. 17. It likely means Pochettino will be straight on a flight to Manchester after the final whistle, hopefully celebrating USMNT advancement to the semifinals. If he cannot lead a United training session the very next day—doing so would mean traveling through the night and getting to work on little or no sleep—he will take charge on the following day, Thursday, Nov. 19.

The latter scenario gives Pochettino three days with his new team on the training field.

The timing is squeezed, but it feels like a case of everybody wins. U.S. Soccer was facing a real problem over who would oversee the Haiti matches had it been insisted that Pochettino had to leave right away, with the two ‘contingency’ choices both otherwise occupied.

If everybody knows where they stand and it is know that Pochettino is going after the second Haiti match, it also removes the distraction that otherwise threatened to engulf the week and potentially derail American hopes of reclaiming the Nations League title.

Manchester United would have ideally wanted to maximize Pochettino’s preparation time before facing Liverpool. But three days in the circumstances, having also been respectful towards U.S. Soccer and his commitment to the federation, is not to be sniffed at.

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