If there is ever a moment to enact a mid-season managerial change, the November international break is it.
Manchester United do not kick a ball again until November 22, presenting the Old Trafford hierarchy with an uninterrupted fortnight to recalibrate, install fresh ideas, and arrest what has been an alarmingly concerning start to the season.
But, by all accounts, they're not going to take the opportunity.
Mauricio Pochettino still interested in Manchester United job
On the pitch, the case for change has long ceased to be a debate. A return of just one win from ten Premier League matches under Michael Carrick is relegation form and the bottom three is where Man United find themselves.
The team looks passive, confidence is shot, and the trajectory is pointing downwards, even in the face of two improbable Old Trafford comebacks in the space of a week. Despite having a long-admired, elite manager reportedly receptive to an approach, Man United appear set to soldier on with Carrick. The reason, as is so often the case in modern football, may very well come down to money.
According to talkSPORT, Mauricio Pochettino remains open to the prospect of taking over at Old Trafford. The former Tottenham and Chelsea boss has been near the top of Man United’s wish list for nearly a decade, repeatedly identified as an ideal fit throughout the club's post-Sir Alex Ferguson malaise.
The obstacle, however, lies in the United States as Pochettino is contracted to the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT), having recently committed to an extension following their 2026 home World Cup.
Poaching him would require Man United to buy him out of that deal. In 2025, reports claimed that Pochettino’s USMNT contract contained a £20m break clause, a valuation corroborated by ESPN’s reporting that any release fee would sit comfortably in the "tens of millions."
Compounding that outlay is the compensation package that would be due to Carrick and his staff if the club chose to make a change. Less than 12 months ago, Manchester United dismissed Ruben Amorim, whose severance package cost the club an estimated £10m.
Under the scrutiny of the Premier League's Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules, and with INEOS tasked with trimming the operational budget, Man United’s hesitation is understandable. However, dressing up Carrick’s stay as an executive structure exercising patience with a long-term project is disingenuous. Sticking with the current coaching setup could easily be seen as a cost-saving exercise.
The danger is that short-term financial caution risks baking in long-term sporting problems. Ducking a payout today protects the club's bottom line, but missing out on European qualification or sliding into a genuine relegation dogfight will end up costing tenfold in lost prize money, reduced commercial clout and squad devaluation.
Pochettino has the authority and Premier League nous to reset Man United, and the November calendar gives them the cleanest possible runway to embed him, at least until the next international break in March, but that is too long into the season to salvage an ailing campaign.
Letting this window pass without making a change in the dugout has the potential to define Manchester United's 2026/27.
