Mauricio Pochettino is the leading contender to become the next Manchester United manager amid reports that Michael Carrick is set to be relieved of his duties.
After steering Man Utd to a third-placed finish in the 2025/26 season, there was hope that the Red Devils could bridge the gap on Arsenal and Manchester City under the stewardship of Carrick this time around.
They've endured a miserable start to the 2026/27 campaign, however, and headed into the international break in 18th, just one point above 20th-placed Crystal Palace.
Victory against Roma -- from 2-0 down -- and a draw against Aston Villa -- from 4-2 down -- proved that there is at least some fight left in the Man Utd squad, but they are still shipping goals for fun and lack a clear identity.
With Carrick likely to be sacked, we take a look at how much the 20-time league winners will have to pay to prise frontrunner Mauricio Pochettino away from the US national team.
What is Mauricio Pochettino's release clause?
As per The Athletic, Pochettino's buyout clause is in the region of $10m.
While the buyout clause is usually the starting point for negotiations, there has been occasions where clubs have paid less than the fee to hire a manager.
For Man Utd to secure the services of the Argentine's US national team assistant coaches, who have followed him around for over a decade, the club would have to pay millions of dollars more.
Pochettino's contract with the USA was set to expire in the months following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
In August, however, he signed a new contract with the national team that will run until 2030. While the USA may soon be without a manager, it's a financial win given that he would have left for free following the expiry of his previous deal just a few months ago.
