Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival at Old Trafford could satisfy the longstanding desire he had to manage one key Manchester United first-team star in his career.

The United States head coach is now potentially within touching distance of landing one of the most important managerial roles of his entire career so far.

Bruno Fernandes’ past admission about Mauricio Pochettino shows why the Man Utd-linked manager wanted him at Tottenham

Speaking to FourFourTwo magazine in May, Mauricio Pochettino said: “United have always shown interest. But the ideal scenario to manage there has never quite materialised.” However, the ‘ideal scenario’ seems to be now after Pochettino could arrive at Old Trafford for a ‘reunion’ with Bruno Fernandes.

Pochettino never managed Fernandes in his career, but the 54-year-old Argentine’s desire was there to coach him for a long time. Fernandes arrived at Manchester United in 2020 from Sporting CP and Tottenham had been heavily linked with him at the time.

Spurs had axed Pochettino in 2019, but the interest from the United States boss in the 32-year-old former Sporting CP midfielder was clear before the 2020 transfer. Fernandes admitted that his desire was to move to the Premier League, but it was former Tottenham manager Pochettino who wanted him at the London club earlier than his transfer to Old Trafford.

“Obviously I wanted to go to the Premier League,” he told The Athletic in 2022, before adding: “The manager, Mauricio Pochettino, was the one who wanted me there. It was a good offer, but Sporting tried their best to keep me.”

It was not simply that Tottenham missed out on Fernandes in 2020. The fact was that Pochettino had a plan in mind for Fernandes at Spurs before he was dismissed and his personal interest in the United captain showed that he was a ‘priority transfer target.’

Pochettino saw the potential of Fernandes before the Portuguese midfielder established himself as a proven Premier League player and one of, if not, United’s best signings since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Fernandes’ comments simply validate what Pochettino could have added to the value of the Spurs squad if Tottenham had landed him ahead of United.

Pochettino’s appreciation and historical connection with Fernandes extended beyond being a transfer target. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham manager showed his true feelings on Fernandes during his reign with the United States national team.

Bruno Fernandes’ Man Utd stats across all competitions in the 2026-27 season under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford so far:

Pochettino crossed paths with Pedro Neto, whom he managed at Chelsea, during Portugal’s 2-0 win over the USA and he highlighted that the Blues star’s clinical finishing ability was in the same bracket as what Fernandes could produce.

“That is why this type of mistake is not crazy, but in this type of game, players like Neto, Ramos, Bruno, Felix and when you have a centimetre, it’s possible that they can score,” he said at his post-match press conference back in March, as per B/R Football’s YouTube channel.

Fernandes is well-equipped to meet the tactical demands of Pochettino through his high footballing IQ, pressing, creative freedom and free-flowing ability to operate on the pitch. Pochettino’s tactics for United would no doubt tap into the strengths of the Portugal international, including his skill to operate between the lines and remarkable positional intelligence.

All the signs point to this being more than an opportunity for Pochettino to be the eighth permanent Man Utd boss in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. It is equally about Pochettino finally ‘getting his man’ by managing Fernandes at long last. As Fernandes’ form has blipped under Michael Carrick at times this season, Pochettino could be the ideal manager to reinvigorate the United skipper’s best form for the Red Devils.