Man Utd face £10m bill to sack Carrick and install Pochettino as manager

Manchester United are facing a combined bill of more than £10 million if they move to sack Michael Carrick and appoint Mauricio Pochettino as his replacement, with the club sitting 18th in the Premier League after just eight points from their opening ten matches.

Carrick, 45, signed a permanent contract at Old Trafford this summer running until 2028, but the deal is reported to contain a one-year break clause. Even so, United would still be liable for the remainder of the current year’s salary — estimated at around £3 million of his reported £5 million annual wage — should they choose to terminate the arrangement during the November international break.

Adding significantly to that figure is the cost of extracting Pochettino from his current role as head coach of the United States men’s national team, to whom the Argentine is contracted until at least 2030. Reports indicate that a $10 million (approximately £7.4 million) release clause is embedded in that deal, meaning United would need to pay compensation to US Soccer before any appointment could be formalised.

Pochettino has emerged as the frontrunner for the role ahead of other candidates linked with Old Trafford, including Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann. The timing is significant given that United’s first fixture after the international break is a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday, 22 November.

The potential outlay sits awkwardly with the cost-cutting agenda set by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe since his arrival at the club. United have nonetheless built a long and expensive record of managerial changes over the past decade: David Moyes received around £5.2 million upon his departure in 2014, Louis van Gaal approximately £8.4 million in 2016, and José Mourinho a reported £19.6 million when dismissed in 2018. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also received a substantial settlement following his sacking in 2021.

Should support staff costs be factored in alongside the Carrick payout and the Pochettino release clause, the total expenditure could climb well beyond the £10 million headline figure.