Pochettino targets defender and striker as Fernandes rejects new United contract

Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed Manchester United manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract, replacing Michael Carrick at a club sitting 18th in the Premier League after ten games. The former Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea boss left his role with the United States men’s national team at the end of the international break to take charge at Old Trafford.

Pochettino’s first major fixture is a trip to Anfield, and he inherits a squad with well-documented problems at both ends of the pitch. According to The Telegraph, he will be backed in the January transfer window, with a defender and a striker identified as the two priority signings. United failed to strengthen their backline during the summer, and Benjamin Sesko’s long-term shin injury has left the club without a recognised centre-forward.

Adding to the new manager’s early headaches, Bruno Fernandes has rejected a second contract offer from the club, per the BBC. The 32-year-old’s current deal runs until 2027 with an option for a further year, but United must secure an extension before 1 January or risk overseas clubs approaching him on a pre-contract agreement. Fernandes’s form has dipped sharply this season after an impressive campaign last year, making the decision over his future one of the most pressing Pochettino faces.

On the recruitment front, Como’s Nico Paz has emerged as a longer-term target, according to the Sun. The former Real Madrid midfielder has been one of the standout performers in Serie A this season under Cesc Fàbregas, and his display in Como’s 4-1 Champions League victory over United — a result widely seen as accelerating Carrick’s departure — only heightened his profile across Europe. A January move is considered unlikely, but Paz is expected to be among the most sought-after players in next summer’s window.

Pochettino addressed the media on Friday and cut an emotional figure when discussing his departure from US Soccer, having signed a four-year deal with the federation earlier this year. “It’s difficult to talk now,” he said. “I’m a very emotional guy. It’s a very sad decision. But we are professionals and we are trying to make our dreams come true.”