Mauricio Pochettino looks set to take over as the new manager of the US men’s team. The Guardian understands that the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager has been offered the opportunity to succeed Gregg Berhalter and lead the US at the next World Cup in 2026, which it will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
Negotiations between Pochettino, his representatives and US Soccer’s technical director, Matt Crocker, who he worked with at Southampton, have been taking place for several weeks and are believed to be nearing a conclusion.
Persuading the former Argentina defender to take over would be a coup for the US, who became the first host country to fail to make it past the group stages of the Copa América last month. Berhalter was dismissed a week later.
Pochettino, who left Chelsea at the end of last season after guiding them to sixth place in the Premier League, was also on the Football Association’s shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate. Lee Carsley was named as England’s interim manager last week as the FA continues its search for a permanent successor.
US Soccer had previously tried to tempt Jürgen Klopp into an early return to management but switched their attention to Pochettino when the German declined their advances. It would be the 52-year-old’s first international post having also previously managed Espanyol, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain.
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The US are due to face Canada on 7 September and are hoping to have appointed Pochettino by then