A struggling Premier League giant could put a price on a billionaire-backed national team contract.
The U.S. men’s national team may be about to learn what its coach is worth on the open market. Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. Soccer contract includes a release clause worth $10 million, The Athletic reported Monday night, according to Front Office Sports, as Manchester United weighs another coaching change.
The money around the job is large. Pochettino is on a $6 million annual contract that was largely funded by billionaire Ken Griffin, FOS reported, and prying loose his staff could push the total past $10 million. Neither U.S. Soccer nor Pochettino responded to FOS.
United’s side of the ledger is uglier. The club is 18th in the Premier League with one win in 10 matches, and head coach Michael Carrick is widely expected to be fired, according to multiple reports. Club leadership is set to meet in Monaco on Wednesday, per the BBC as cited by FOS. Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have also been floated, the Express reported.
The turmoil comes with ownership questions attached. Football finance expert Stefan Borson said on talkSPORT that United could be bought for about £5 billion, citing a “process,” the Express reported. The Glazer family has not confirmed a sale. Jim Ratcliffe’s 27.7% stake valued the club at £4.8 billion.
For U.S. Soccer, the timing is awkward. Pochettino was named coach in September 2024, per his career record, and Fox Sports reported in June that he had been offered an extension through the 2030 World Cup. The U.S. plays Haiti on Nov. 14 in Miami and Nov. 17 in Cincinnati. The Premier League returns Nov. 21, and United may want an answer before then.
Sources
- Front Office Sports – Are the USMNT and Mauricio Pochettino Headed For A $10 Million Breakup?
- Express via AOL – Man Utd ‘up for sale’ as Glazers set staggering price in takeover update
- Fox Sports – Sources: Mauricio Pochettino Offered USA Extension Through 2030 World Cup
- Wikipedia – Mauricio Pochettino
Featured photo: Mauricio Pochettino at USMNT vs. Belgium, March 28, 2026, by Bryan Berlin, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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