Mauricio Pochettino appointed Manchester United head coach, set to take charge from November 18

Manchester United on Friday announced the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach, with the Argentine set to officially take charge on November 18 after completing his commitments with the United States national team.

The 54-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract running until the summer of 2029, replacing Michael Carrick, who was dismissed following the club's dismal start to the Premier League season.

Pochettino will become United's eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. His appointment comes with the 20-time English champions languishing in 18th place in the Premier League standings after managing just one victory in their opening 10 league matches.

The former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager will make his United managerial debut against arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.

𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Manchester United confirmed that an agreement had been reached with the United States Soccer Federation to release Pochettino and his coaching staff following the conclusion of their international commitments.

The Argentine will oversee the United States' upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final fixtures against Haiti before travelling to Manchester.

United highlighted Pochettino's reputation for high-intensity attacking football, his ability to develop young players and his experience managing clubs across Europe's leading leagues.

The club will reportedly pay approximately £7.4 million to secure his release from his contract with the United States national team.

Pochettino had signed a new agreement with US Soccer in August that was intended to keep him in charge through the 2030 World Cup.

𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐩

Pochettino's arrival follows the dismissal of former United midfielder Michael Carrick on Thursday after a disappointing sequence of results.

Carrick had initially taken charge in January 2026 following Ruben Amorim's departure and guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and qualification for the Champions League.

His impressive initial spell earned him a permanent contract until 2028, but United's performances deteriorated sharply during the current campaign.

The club have registered only one victory in their opening 10 Premier League fixtures and three wins in 15 matches across all competitions.

A dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa in Carrick's final match was not enough to convince the club's hierarchy to retain him.

United subsequently concluded that a managerial change was necessary to revive their season.

𝐏𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨'𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝

Pochettino returns to English club football after previously managing Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

He established his reputation during his tenure at Tottenham, guiding the north London club to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.

His achievements at Tottenham included developing young players and building a competitive team capable of challenging England's leading clubs.

Pochettino subsequently managed Paris Saint-Germain, winning the French league title and domestic cup, before returning to the Premier League with Chelsea.

He took charge of the United States national team in September 2024 and guided the Americans to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐬

Pochettino is expected to arrive in Manchester on November 18 and conduct his first training session with the United squad the following day.

His opening assignment will be a challenging Premier League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.

The Argentine faces the immediate task of improving results and steering United away from the relegation zone.

His appointment also comes amid questions about the club's squad development, recruitment strategy and ability to compete consistently at the highest level.

United's management is expected to support Pochettino during the January transfer window as the club seeks to strengthen its squad and recover from one of its poorest starts to a league campaign in decades.

The appointment marks another attempt by Manchester United to restore stability and competitiveness after years of managerial changes and inconsistent performances following Ferguson's retirement.