Skip to content A secret $10m release clause paved the way for the Pochettino Man Utd deal while Michael Carrick was still preparing his team for training. United chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox flew to Monaco on Monday to meet co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, leaving their head coach on borrowed time.
By Thursday, Carrick was gone after just 15 matches into his two-year permanent contract. The ruthless change leaves United second bottom of the Premier League and 17th in the Champions League table. Now, the club’s leadership is moving swiftly to install their long-term target before the season slips entirely out of reach.
Also read: Michael Carrick Man Utd: Six Defining Matches
Carrick’s camp received early signals earlier in the week, but the public nature of his sacking has drawn anger from supporters. With a high-stakes clash against Liverpool looming after the international break, Old Trafford bosses decided they could wait no longer.
How the Pochettino Man Utd chase unfolded in secret
United discovered early in the process that Mauricio Pochettino had a $10m (£7m) buyout option in his contract with the United States national team. Sources indicate representatives for the Argentine actually alerted the Old Trafford hierarchy to the clause. Once Berrada knew the price, the wheels turned quickly.
On Wednesday, Berrada contacted the US Soccer Federation to confirm the figure and state United’s intention to pay it. The call caused no shock across the Atlantic because Pochettino had been completely transparent with his employers. He made no secret of his talks with United and his desire to return to the Premier League.
United bosses regret that Carrick’s exit played out so loudly in the media before his official dismissal. Still, club officials felt they gave Carrick as much honesty as possible under intense scrutiny. They wanted their new manager lined up before pulling the trigger.
The week Michael Carrick was left waiting
The timeline of Carrick’s dismissal shows how rapidly the mood shifted inside the boardroom. On Monday, Berrada phoned Carrick’s agent to explain that he and Wilcox were heading to Monaco for a scheduled summit with Ratcliffe. They made it clear that Carrick’s position was on the agenda.
Wilcox followed up on Tuesday with a direct conversation with Carrick himself. Club officials communicated on both occasions that a formal recommendation regarding the manager’s future was coming. Yet sources remain split on whether Carrick fully realised that recommendation would be his immediate sacking.
Carrick carried himself with dignity throughout the week despite knowing reports were swirling about his successor. He leaves Old Trafford with his reputation as a club legend intact among fans, but the brutal nature of his departure leaves a bitter taste for many matchgoers.
Eight goals conceded that broke Ratcliffe’s patience
The hierarchy had already warned Carrick that standards had to rise after crushing losses to Como and Bournemouth earlier in the autumn. Board members drew a line in the sand ahead of a demanding three-game run against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa. They demanded visible improvements in both defensive organisation and points.
A defeat, a win and a draw were simply not enough to rescue Carrick’s job. United shipped eight goals across those three fixtures, exposing major structural flaws that alarmed Wilcox and Ratcliffe. Defensively fragile and lacking control, the team showed little sign of turning the corner.
It was a stark contrast to Carrick’s initial spell as interim boss after replacing Ruben Amorim in January. He won 12 of his final 17 games last term, earning praise for his calm authority and attacking freedom. That form earned him a two-year contract in the summer, but United smartly included protective early termination clauses. A shock opening-weekend loss to newly promoted Hull City set a negative tone that never lifted.
Carrington timeline for the Pochettino Man Utd arrival
While Old Trafford officials want their new manager in building immediately, they must respect his current international commitments. The United States play two upcoming matches against Haiti, with the second fixture scheduled for 18 November. Pochettino intends to honour those games before flying to England.
If he manages that second Haiti fixture, Pochettino will report to Carrington on 19 November. That gives the incoming coach only four days to work with his new squad before hosting Liverpool in a titanic Premier League clash. The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust expressed deep frustration with the chaos, issuing a firm challenge to the boardroom:
“It is time for the owners to explain themselves.”
United expect Pochettino to complete his final obligations with the United States on 18 November before flying directly to Manchester to sign his contract.
Source: BBC Sport
