THE FUSE

Manchester United announced today, Thursday, the departure of Michael Carrick from his position as head coach of the team, following the Red Devils' disappointing start to the current season, confirming its intention to appoint a new permanent manager as quickly as possible, amid reports of an agreement with Argentine Mauricio Pochettino.

Manchester United said, in a official statement, that it had reached a difficult decision to change its technical leadership after failing to deliver results that matched the club's ambitions.

Carrick returned to Manchester United last January and steered the team to third place in the Premier League by the end of the 2025-2026 season. He won 12 of the 17 remaining matches, racking up more points than any other side in the division over that stretch.

The results nosedived once the current campaign began. United are in the middle of a grim spell, sitting eighteenth in the Premier League, below the relegation line, and seventeenth of 36 teams in the Champions League, with no clear sign of a turnaround in recent weeks.

All of that pushed the board to end the English coach's spell, despite the lift he had given the team in the second half of last season.

Manchester United bid farewell to Carrick with moving words

United were quick to praise what Carrick had given the club, hailing his standing as one of its legends, both as a former player and during his recent time in the dugout.

The club's statement read: "Michael is a legend at Manchester United, and will always remain so. And as he did when he was a player, he showed the highest levels of dedication and professionalism throughout his return to the club."

It added: "His leadership and achievements during last season will always be valued and cherished."

Rounding off the statement, United confirmed the board is working to appoint a permanent successor to Carrick as quickly as possible, without naming the man they want.

The decision to change the technical staff came after Omar Berrada, Manchester United's chief executive, and sporting director Jason Wilcox met co-owner Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday to review the team's faltering start to the season.

Pochettino closing in

Press reports had linked the club with a move for Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the United States head coach, to succeed Carrick at Old Trafford.

Those reports claim Manchester United have struck an initial agreement with Pochettino to take the manager's job, with some details still being thrashed out between the two parties.

The Argentine is tied to the US Soccer Federation until the middle of 2030. His contract carries a penalty clause worth around 7 million pounds sterling, close to 9 million euros, which the English club must negotiate with the US Federation.

United are also working to agree with Pochettino on the members of his backroom staff. Talks with the US Federation are expected to speed up over the next twenty-four hours.

While the board want the Argentine at Old Trafford as soon as possible, it knows he remains tied to his current job with the US national team, who are preparing to face Haiti twice during the ongoing international break.

Forecasts suggest Pochettino could take charge of Manchester United before the trip to face Liverpool at Anfield on 22 November, once most of the squad return to the club by next Thursday.

I am the Head of shifts and oversee content. I have over 15 years of experience in sports journalism. I studied media and have worked for a number of Arabic print newspapers and websites, but the most significant milestone in my career was joining Kooora, the leading Arabic sports website, in 2016.

I always strive to provide reliable content, backed by numbers and statistics, free from exaggeration. I love the language of numbers because it knows no flattery. I have covered major soccer events, with a special focus on highlighting Arab soccer stars and their impact on the global stage.

Throughout my career, my work has focused on covering soccer—whether Egyptian, Arab, or international—and my interest has now shifted to Saudi soccer, following the massive boom the Kingdom has experienced over the past few years.

I’ve been connected to soccer since childhood. My first memory of the sport dates back to the 1998 World Cup. Although I was only 8 years old at the time, the excitement of the matches drew me in deeply, and I can’t forget Zinedine Zidane’s brilliance in the final and how he led the French national team to its first title in the tournament.

Brazilian Ronaldo was one of the legends who contributed to my passion for soccer at the start of this century; his goal-scoring style was amazing—he never missed in front of the goal. Then Cristiano Ronaldo emerged, and to this day I consider him my favorite player, because he inspired me with a sense of challenge and an unwavering desire to win, and this has been reflected in my writing style.

My articles focus on coverage of the Saudi Pro League, as well as other leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League. I also follow the transfer market closely and try to analyze the deals.

If you asked me what my fondest soccer memory is, I couldn’t think of anything better than the moment Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup—especially since it was our first qualification in 28 years, and the first time I’d ever seen my national team compete in the world’s biggest soccer tournament.

As for my all-time favorite lineup, it is as follows: Iker Casillas in goal. Paolo Maldini, Sergio Ramos, Cafu, and Roberto Carlos on defense. Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldinho in midfield. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Ronaldo Nazário up front.

Throughout my career, I’ve published a number of my favorite analyses and articles on Kooora, including:

A massive budget and a disappointing elimination... Why did Al Ahly fail at the Club World Cup?

Concerns over Salah’s rest and the opening of the black file... Will Liverpool regret the Firts deal?

The Benzema Law rules Al-Nassr... Ronaldo charts his future the French way

Alonso solves Klopp’s puzzle… Arnold: from defensive liability to offensive weapon

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