Mauricio Pochettino has been confirmed as Manchester United's new head coach.

Pochettino, 54, has left his role as United States men's national team head coach and signed a 2½-year contract at Old Trafford after finalizing an agreement Thursday. He is set to take charge for the first time when United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Nov. 22.

Pochettino takes over from Michael Carrick, who was sacked Thursday just 15 games into the two-year contract he signed in May.

United CEO Omar Berrada informed U.S. Soccer on Wednesday that they were willing to trigger a $10 million (£7.5m) release clause in Pochettino's contract.

Sources told ESPN that it was Pochettino's representatives who first alerted United to the existence of the clause.

Pochettino, according to sources, was the only candidate spoken to directly during the search for a successor to Carrick.

Sources also told ESPN that Pochettino was the "unanimous choice" recommended by the club's leadership team and subsequently approved by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the majority owners, the Glazer family.

Pochettino was interviewed by Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox in May 2024 shortly after he left Chelsea. United ultimately decided to stick with Erik ten Hag and Pochettino accepted the USMNT job in September 2024.

Pochettino emerged as the top choice to replace Carrick because of his vast Premier League experience and his history of working at big clubs.

He has had spells at Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea as well as Paris Saint-Germain, where he was in charge of a dressing room that included Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.

Source: ESPN
--Agencies