US Soccer reportedly eyes Pep Guardiola if Mauricio Pochettino leaves for Manchester United

Guardiola at the top of the list

US Soccer has reportedly placed Pep Guardiola first on its list of candidates should Mauricio Pochettino leave the national team, based on a report by The Athletic. Guardiola, 55, has had no coaching job since leaving Manchester City at the end of last season and has never managed a national team. Pochettino, 54, is widely tipped to take over at Manchester United, but no official decision has been made. The Guardiola option would only become concrete once Pochettino's departure is confirmed.

Pochettino's exit route

Pochettino has a contract with the US federation until 2030, which he can reportedly leave through a release clause of about 9 million euros. Fanpage adds that United would also pay another 5.8 million euros to dismiss Michael Carrick and his staff, and that the federation had extended Pochettino's deal in August. The club has not yet announced Carrick's dismissal, while English media claim Pochettino has already agreed verbally to take over. Fanpage describes United as 18th in the Premier League with eight points from ten matches and one win. Fanpage also reports that Pochettino's planned debut on the United bench is against Liverpool on 22 November, with his longtime assistant Jesus Pérez expected to follow him.

Guardiola's stance

Guardiola's adviser Josep Maria Orobitg said in September that Guardiola would take neither a club nor a national team during the 2026/27 season, according to N-tv. Guardiola has also turned down an approach from the Italian federation, which sent Paolo Maldini and Leonardo to Barcelona with a project running to the 2030 World Cup. Il Messaggero recalls that Giovanni Malagò explained the refusal by Guardiola's wish to stay close to his family. Fanpage describes the answer as personal and family-related rather than financial. Guardiola's ties to the United States go back to a year he spent in New York in 2012, before his time at Bayern, according to Il Messaggero. N-tv notes that the federation would either have to persuade him to return early or first install an interim coach.

Earlier interest and the wider picture

Blick reports that US Soccer also considered Guardiola after the 2024 split with Gregg Berhalter. Il Messaggero says contacts with Guardiola began before Pochettino's arrival. NEWS 24/7 says The Athletic published its report on Wednesday evening, 11 November, and that Guardiola coached Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City and has won more than 40 titles. Blick adds that the national team would not be expected to deliver major trophies under Guardiola, though it may be the challenge he is looking for.