Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick as their head coach with the team in the Premier League’s relegation zone and lined up Mauricio Pochettino to take over.
Pochettino has a framework agreement to join a club who have one win from their past 11 matches. The USA head coach, a Premier League manager with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, has a release clause of about $10m (£7.5m). United will have to pay more to take his staff.
Carrick’s departure comes with United third from bottom of the Premier League, a point behind 17th-placed Coventry, and 17th in the Champions League standings. His exit follows a review led by the director of football, Jason Wilcox, and a recommendation to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who controls sporting policy. Wilcox and United’s CEO, Omar Berrada, travelled to Monaco to meet with Ratcliffe.
Carrick’s sacking was then signed off at a board meeting involving the Glazer family. Carrick turned up for work on Thursday morning – as he has done each day this week with his fate in effect sealed.
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.”