Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick, the club has confirmed.
United are close to an agreement with Mauricio Pochettino and have made contact with the U.S. Soccer Federation as they push forward with plans to hire the former Argentina defender as Carrick's successor, sources have told ESPN.
Carrick leaves Old Trafford with United in the Premier League's relegation zone after just one league win all season.
Carrick met executives Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox at Carrington on Thursday morning -- following a meeting between Berrada, Wilcox and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday -- when he was informed of the decision.
Sources have told ESPN that after heavy back-to-back defeats to Como and Bournemouth last month, club bosses wanted to give Carrick and the players "a further opportunity" to turn things around.
During what has been described as a "comprehensive review," it was decided that during the following three games against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa there wasn't enough evidence to suggest the team "was on the right path."
United sources have told ESPN that the decision to sack Carrick has been made because being 18th in the Premier League after 10 games is "not acceptable" and that the squad is "far better than results and performances so far this season have indicated."
There has been criticism about the lack of clarity around Carrick's position and the optics of him leading training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday amid mounting talk that he was set for the sack. However, club sources have told ESPN that plans for non-international players to train this week were in place more than a month ago.
A club statement said: "Manchester United can confirm that Michael Carrick has departed his role as men's first-team head coach.
"Michael rejoined the club in January and guided the team to a third-placed Premier League finish by winning 12 out of the remaining 17 games of the 2025-26 season, accumulating the highest points tally in the league during that period.
"After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions.
"Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend. Just as he did as a player, he has conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism throughout his time back with the club. His leadership and achievements last season will always be fondly remembered.
"The club intends to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible."
Carrick was initially handed the job on an interim basis following Ruben Amorim's dismissal in January. He masterminded a surprise 2-0 victory over Manchester City in his first game in charge and went on to win 12 of 17 matches to end the season.
It was enough to finish third in the Premier League and secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2023.
United's form earned Carrick the job on a permanent basis and he signed a two-year contract in May. But the speed of the downturn since Carrick took the job full-time has been startling.
- How Michael Carrick's stint as Man United boss unravelled - a timeline
- Michael Carrick's Man United collapse: The stats behind his sacking
- Dawson: Inside Carrick's Man United reign
Carrick's departure means United have now fired managers midway through each of the last three seasons. Erik ten Hag was sacked in October 2024, and Amorim was dismissed in January 2026.
Pochettino is in pole position to be United's next manager. His release clause from U.S. Soccer is $10 million (£7.5M) and his staff, including assistant Jesús Pérez, could cost another $2M.
Former Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss Pochettino will oversee the United States' next two games against Haiti on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17 in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, sources told ESPN. United's next fixture is against Liverpool at Anfield on Nov. 22.