Manchester United finalising deal to appoint Michael Carrick’s replacement | Football

Manchester United are close to rubber stamping a deal to appoint Michael Carrick’s successor ahead of making a final decision on the future of their current head coach.

The Red Devils are languishing in the relegation zone after Sunday’s chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa which is expected to represent Carrick’s final game at the helm, despite an injury-time comeback which yielded an unlikely point.

Carrick currently remains in limbo and attended United’s training ground on Wednesday morning with club executives set to discuss his future at a meeting in Monaco.

The 45-year-old was photographed driving into the club’s Carrington base this morning, but his fate is set to be determined at a meeting 800 miles away, where co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will confer with United chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.

According to the Athletic, United’s key decision makers held talks on Tuesday and settled on Mauricio Pochettino as the candidate best qualified to lead the club out of the almost unprecedented mess it finds itself in.

The former Tottenham and Chelsea manager signed a contract with US Soccer through to 2030 just three months ago, and is currently preparing the American national side for CONCACAF Nations League matches against Haiti in the November international break.

The former Argentina international has held talks with United in the past and is keen on the job this time, but hefty compensation would be due to US Soccer.

United are understood to have been in contact with Pochettino’s representatives and although personal terms are unlikely to be an issue, the 54-year-old’s exit clause of £7.4million would need to be paid in full.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is admired, while ex-Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and former Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann were linked a fortnight ago when United seriously considered replacing Carrick.

A 4-1 Champions League loss at Como and 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth left the head coach’s job hanging by a thread, but the club decided to give him the opportunity to turn the situation around.

Carrick’s side subsequently lost 2-0 at Chelsea, where they were unable to take their chances and saw Lisandro Martinez sent off, before last Tuesday’s thrilling 3-2 Champions League comeback win against Roma.

A scarcely believable 4-4 draw against followed on Sunday, after which the head coach stressed he would not walk away.

‘It’s been a right mixed week or two or three, really, if you’re looking at the events,’ Carrick said. ‘But I’m pretty clear where we need to go and how we need to get there.

‘Obviously some of the boys will be flying off around the world and different things, and the group will be split for 10 days or so.

‘But as a normal international week is, you know, we’ll have some training. We’ll have one or two days off, but not too much. But we’ll train, and we’ll get ready for the next game.’

United return to action with a Premier League trip to rivals Liverpool on November 22.

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