Mauricio Pochettino has described leaving his role as USA head coach to take charge of Manchester United as “one of the most difficult” decisions of his career.
The Argentine was confirmed as Michael Carrick’s successor at Old Trafford on Friday. Sources have told BBC Sport that Pochettino has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Manchester United paid a release clause of about £7.4m to secure his services, with an additional payment made for his backroom staff.
Pochettino signed a new four-year contract with the USA in the summer, but will leave after overseeing the national team’s matches against Haiti on 14 and 18 November.
The 54-year-old became tearful during his first news conference as United manager and thanked the US Soccer Federation for its support.
“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.”
Asked why he had agreed a new USA contract before accepting the opportunity at United, Pochettino said the chance to manage at Old Trafford was too significant to reject.
“I never said I wanted to go back, but they know there aren’t too many opportunities that happen in your career like Manchester United,” he said. “When it arrives, it’s difficult to turn down.”
Carrick was dismissed on Thursday after United made their worst start to a domestic campaign in 40 years. The result has left them 18th in the Premier League.
Pochettino takes over a side with one victory from their opening 10 league matches, sitting only one point above bottom club Sunderland. His first game will be away to Liverpool on 22 November.
Pochettino’s long association with United
The appointment ends a decade of interest from Manchester United in Pochettino.
After an 18-month spell at Southampton, during which he guided the club to eighth place in his only full season, he moved to Tottenham in 2014.
Tottenham had finished in the top four only twice in the previous 22 years, but Pochettino led them to four top-four finishes in his five full seasons.
United first considered appointing him two years after he arrived in north London. Pochettino met former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for dinner in Mayfair, London, weeks before Louis van Gaal was sacked. United instead appointed Jose Mourinho.
When Mourinho left in 2018, Pochettino was again overlooked after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer impressed during an interim spell and was given the job on a more permanent basis.
Pochettino was also considered alongside Erik ten Hag in 2022, but United chose the Dutchman, who had taken Ajax to the 2019 Champions League semi-finals, where they were beaten by Pochettino’s Tottenham.
After leaving Chelsea in 2024, Pochettino was interviewed by United again. The club appointed Ruben Amorim from Sporting to replace Ten Hag instead.
Carrick thanks Manchester United fans
Carrick, who signed a two-year contract with United in May, released a statement on social media after Pochettino’s appointment.
“Dear United fans, I’ve had the immense privilege of leading Manchester United, the football club that I love,” he wrote.
“There are very few who get to live that and feel it, and for that I’m incredibly grateful.
“With that comes huge responsibility, and to be at Manchester United, you need to understand exactly what that means.
“It’s different to anywhere else.”
Carrick said the club’s culture and values had driven him during his time at Old Trafford.
“Ultimately, you need to push to be the best, but there is a culture, there are values and there are behaviours that you have to live by and respect, which have been built over a long period of time,” he added.
“It’s a football club that is unique, with substance and history that cannot be ignored.
“This is what inspired me every single day.”
