Manchester United close on Pochettino appointment as USSF eyes Guardiola to fill void

Manchester United are closing in on the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach, with the Argentine set to replace Michael Carrick at Old Trafford. The move, however, has immediately raised questions about succession at the United States Soccer Federation, where Pochettino currently serves as national team manager.

According to The Athletic, the USSF has internally discussed Pep Guardiola as their preferred candidate to succeed Pochettino should he depart for United. The federation is expected to make the former Manchester City manager their top target, though persuading Guardiola to end his sabbatical would be far from straightforward.

Guardiola stepped away from club management following his departure from City and has been taking time away from the game for family reasons. The Italian Football Federation explored a similar approach earlier this summer and found the Catalan coach unwilling to commit to a return, suggesting the USSF faces a significant challenge in securing their ideal candidate.

United, for their part, are not entirely dependent on the USSF finding a replacement before completing the deal. The club retain the option of triggering Pochettino’s release clause, which would allow the appointment to proceed regardless of whether the federation has a successor lined up.

Having a credible replacement ready would smooth the transition for all parties, but United’s ability to bypass that requirement gives them leverage in moving quickly on a manager who has been heavily linked with the role.