Manchester United have dismissed head coach Michael Carrick after a disastrous start to the campaign that has left the club in the Premier League’s relegation zone, moving swiftly to align former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino as his successor. Pochettino, currently serving as head coach of the United States national team, has reached a framework agreement to step into the role at Old Trafford. The former Southampton manager has a release clause of approximately $10 million (£7.5 million), with United expected to incur further costs to acquire his backroom staff.
The decision to remove Carrick comes with United sitting 18th in the Premier League table—third from bottom and a point behind 17th-placed Coventry—and holding 17th position in the Champions League standings. His dismissal follows a formal review conducted by director of football Jason Wilcox, who recommended the parting of ways to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the figure overseeing the club's sporting policy. Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada flew to Monaco to hold talks with Ratcliffe, after which the termination was formally approved during a board meeting that included the Glazer family. Carrick reported for duty on Thursday morning despite his exit having effectively been finalised earlier in the week.
In an official statement addressing the managerial change, Manchester United said: “After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions. Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend. Just as he did as a player, he has conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism throughout his time back with the club. His leadership and achievements last season will always be fondly remembered.”
Before committing to Pochettino, senior leadership considered alternative candidates. Director of recruitment Christopher Vivell initially favoured former Germany and Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, while Eddie Howe—unattached since leaving Newcastle in July—was on Wilcox’s shortlist. However, United ultimately focused their efforts on Pochettino, who departed Chelsea in May 2024 before accepting the USA national team job four months later.
Carrick was granted the permanent managerial position in May on a contract running through to 2028, following a successful interim tenure in which he secured Champions League qualification by winning 12 and drawing three of his 17 matches last season. However, United’s form collapsed drastically this term, registering just three victories across all competitions—all recorded at home against Ipswich, Sabah, and Roma.
Club executives had afforded Carrick a three-game window to save his position following a demoralising 3-0 home defeat against Bournemouth. Although United engineered a dramatic comeback win against Roma and fought back from two goals down twice to rescue a 4-4 home draw against Aston Villa last Sunday, internal reviews concluded that performances—including an earlier 2-0 defeat at Chelsea—demonstrated the team was on the wrong trajectory. United leadership deemed sitting 18th in the Premier League entirely unacceptable and judged that a new manager could extract significantly better performance from the existing squad.
Carrick’s tenure was further compromised by internal friction amidst a broader period of disruption. Captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioned Carrick's tactical strategy following a heavy 4-1 Champions League loss to Como, while defender Lisandro Martínez voiced criticism of director of football Wilcox.
Carrick’s departure marks the second time Manchester United have dismissed a head coach within a single calendar year—following the departure of Ruben Amorim in January—representing an unprecedented occurrence in the club’s history. Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, the club has appointed eight managers, including Ralf Rangnick during a five-month interim spell.
