Mauricio Pochettino set for Manchester United job as Bruno Fernandes turns down new deal

Mauricio Pochettino is set to take over as the new head coach of Manchester United after leaving his role with the United States. The club will pay £7 million in compensation to secure the former Tottenham and Chelsea boss on a two-and-a-half-year contract at Old Trafford.

Management Changes

Michael Carrick and his backroom staff were dismissed on Thursday following the club's worst start to a domestic campaign in 40 years. Pochettino will take charge of the USA for the first leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti in Miami on Saturday and the second leg in Cincinnati on Tuesday. He will then fly to Manchester next Wednesday, take his first training session on Thursday, and make his managerial debut away against Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November.

Captain's Contract

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has rejected a second contract offer from the club. The 32-year-old midfielder's current deal ends at the season's close, though United hold an option to trigger a 12-month extension until 2028. If the club does not use that clause, Fernandes could speak to foreign clubs in January, having previously drawn interest from Saudi Arabia and Galatasaray. Fernandes won the PFA player of the year award last season with a record-breaking 21 assists, but his form has dipped this term after scoring six times in 13 matches.

Context

Top football clubs frequently change managers and adjust player contracts when team performance falls below expectations during a domestic season. Midfielders in the final year of their contracts often evaluate a club's long-term competitive direction and upcoming coaching changes before committing to new terms.