Manchester United could be forced to spend more than Ksh1.7 billion if they decide to dismiss Michael Carrick and appoint Mauricio Pochettino as his replacement.

The Old Trafford club have endured a disappointing opening to the campaign, with United sitting 18th in the Premier League after collecting only eight points from their first 10 matches.

The poor run has intensified speculation over Carrick’s future, with the former United midfielder reportedly facing the possibility of being dismissed during the November international break.

Such a move would give the club time to appoint a new manager before their next Premier League fixture, when they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday, November 22, 2026.

Several coaches have been mentioned as possible successors, including Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann. However, Pochettino is reportedly considered the leading candidate should United decide to end Carrick’s reign.

Replacing Carrick would come at a significant financial cost, something that would conflict with the club’s efforts under Sir Jim Ratcliffe to reduce expenditure and improve financial efficiency.

Carrick signed a permanent contract this summer that runs until 2028. Terminating the agreement before its expiry would therefore require United to compensate him.

According to GiveMeSport, Carrick’s contract contains a one-year break clause. Despite that provision, United would still reportedly need to cover the remaining salary owed to him.

Costly separation

Carrick is believed to earn about £5 million (Ksh872.2 million) a year, meaning the outstanding amount could be around £3 million (Ksh523.3 million) given that he is only several months into the agreement.

United would then face another sizeable payment if they want to prise Pochettino away from the United States national team.

The Argentine coach is contracted to the US national side until at least 2030, and reports have claimed that his agreement contains a $10 million (about Ksh1.3 billion) release clause.

The reported £7.4 million equivalent of that clause would translate to approximately Ksh1.29 billion at the current exchange rate.

When that figure is combined with the estimated Ksh523.3 million required to settle Carrick’s contract, United could be looking at a total bill of roughly Ksh1.82 billion before taking into account compensation for members of the incoming manager’s coaching staff.

The potential expenditure would add to a long list of managerial changes at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

United have repeatedly spent heavily on appointing and dismissing managers as they have attempted to restore the club to the level enjoyed during Ferguson’s highly successful tenure.

A decision to replace Carrick with Pochettino would therefore represent another major financial commitment for a club that has simultaneously been pushing for tighter spending and greater financial discipline.