Michael Carrick appears to be on his way out of Manchester United, with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly been lined up as his replacement.
The list of names linked with the job should Carrick depart hardly inspired, with Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte the three most likely contenders, and that seems to have played a significant part in Carrick lasting as long as he has.
But Pochettino's odds were slashed during Manchester United's chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, and the former Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea boss may be preparing for a fourth Premier League stint.
Pochettino was a controversial appointment at Southampton in January 2013, particularly as predecessor Nigel Adkins had steered the Saints out of the relegation zone, but the appointment was revolutionary. Pochettino steered Tottenham to an eighth-place finish in his only full season on the south coast, earning a move to Tottenham.
Despite a lack of silverware in North London, Pochettino's time with Spurs was a huge success, steering the club to a UEFA Champions League final and four straight top-four finishes before a harsh dismissal in 2019.
Pochettino would then spend two mixed years with Paris Saint-Germain before returning to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2023.
While Pochettino didn't win over large swathes of the Chelsea fanbase with inconsistent results throughout much of his tenure, he did join a club that had made 12 summer signings at a cost of around £400m and had to deal with countless injuries throughout the season.
Despite turning their fortunes around towards the end of the campaign with five straight wins, Pochettino was dismissed by Chelsea at the end of the season, with apparent unrest between coach and board.
The season marked Pochettino's last foray into the Premier League, with his last match in the division a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on 19th May 2024.
