Mauricio Pochettino close to accepting role as new manager of USMNT

Mauricio Pochettino is set to become the new manager of the United States men’s national team. The Guardian has learned that the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager has been offered the chance to succeed Gregg Berhalter and lead the US to the next World Cup in 2026, which it will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

Negotiations between Pochettino, his representatives and US Soccer technical director Matt Crocker, with whom he worked at Southampton, have been ongoing for several weeks and are said to be close to completion.

Persuading the former Argentina defender to take over would be a coup for the US, who last month became the first host nation to fail to make it out of the Copa América group stage. Berhalter was fired a week later.

Pochettino, who left Chelsea at the end of last season after leading them to sixth place in the Premier League, was also on the Football Association’s shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate. Lee Carsley was named interim England manager last week while the FA continues its search for a permanent successor.

US Soccer had previously attempted to tempt Jurgen Klopp into a quick return to management, but turned their attention to Pochettino when the German rebuffed their advances. It would be the 52-year-old’s first international posting, having previously managed Espanyol, Southampton and Paris Saint-Germain.

The US are set to face Canada on September 7 and hope to have appointed Pochettino by then