With multiple reports stating that Michael Carrick is on the brink of being fired by Manchester United, current USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino is said to be the favorite to replace him.

After being close to getting the job on many occasions in the past, is Pochettino finally going to get his chance at Man United?

He should, and Man United should get this done as quickly as possible. A report from the BBC says that Pochettino is ‘open to a move’ to Old Trafford.

Per various reports, including from Sky Sports and The Athletic, Pochettino has a release clause in the new contract he signed with U.S. Soccer in August which allows him to leave for certain high-profile jobs. It is reported that Man United would have to pay U.S. Soccer close to $10 million in compensation for Pochettino.

That would be money well spent for the Red Devils.

Why is Mauricio Pochettino the perfect fit for Manchester United?

Firstly, Pochettino should have been hired about three times by Man United already.

When he first came to the Premier League as Southampton’s manager in 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson (in his final year as United’s manager) marveled at what Pochettino had created in such a short space of time.

A few years later Pochettino then almost left Tottenham Hotspur for United, but negotiations with then chairman Daniel Levy proved too tricky for United. And then a couple of others times he was in the running, most notably in 2022 when United went for Erik ten Hag instead.

This move has been a long time coming and Pochettino has the mentality, tactics and drive to succeed at United. He’s proven it.

He is the perfect fit because he is the complete package. Pochettino demands high levels of fitness, total dedication from his players and has a pretty unbelievable record at developing young players and turning them in to stars.

Pochettino doesn’t care about egos. He cares about hard work, results and creating an environment players want to be in and thrive in. It’s easy to say all of that but Pochettino does it. The body of work is there with Southampton, Spurs, Chelsea and the USMNT. PSG, not so much, but a lot of that was out of his control.

His high-pressing tactics will get United’s fans on board straight away and there’s no doubt there is tons of top young talent coming through the academy at Old Trafford. Pochettino will make the most of that.

He is experienced, knows the Premier League inside out and his teams are solid defensively and are well-organized. That ticks so many boxes for what United need right now. Also worth noting, Pochettino has remained living in the UK and Spain during his time as USMNT boss and is fully in the loop on what is going on in Europe.

In terms of on the pitch, United have talent in key attacking areas and if Pochettino can get them organized in defense and midfield quickly, things will improve quickly.

Yes, there are clear areas that need improvement in their squad (defense being the number one priority in the January window and beyond), but Pochettino shouldn’t fear this challenge if he’s offered it.

After almost a decade of courting, now is finally the right time for Pochettino to be given the Manchester United job.