How Pochettino came on Man Utd's radar - and what Carrick was told when

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Manchester United have moved to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as head coach after deciding to part ways with Michael Carrick. According to the article, United’s leadership had already signalled to Carrick and his representatives that a formal recommendation about his future was coming, after a run of poor results and performances that included defeats to Como and Bournemouth. The club then treated the following matches against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa as a decisive stretch, but BBC Sport says the team did not show enough improvement.

The report says United had identified a $10 million release clause in Pochettino’s contract with the United States men’s national team by the time Carrick’s position was nearing its end. Discussions with Pochettino began on Monday, and on Wednesday chief executive Omar Berrada contacted US Soccer to confirm the clause and the club’s intention to activate it. Pochettino had reportedly made clear to his current employers that talks with United were taking place and that he wanted to return to the Premier League.

BBC Sport adds that there was some frustration at Old Trafford that the process played out so publicly, though the club believed it had been as transparent as possible with Carrick. The article says Pochettino is expected to remain with the United States for its remaining fixture on 18 November, before potentially arriving at Carrington on 19 November ahead of the Liverpool match. Background in the report also notes that Carrick initially improved United after taking over on an interim basis and later earned a permanent deal, but the season has since gone badly, leaving the club near the bottom of the Premier League.