Mauricio Pochettino ‘in talks with USMNT over becoming coach’ after Jurgen Klopp rejected approach

Mauricio Pochettino is one of the leading candidates to become the next coach of the US national team.

The former Chelsea, PSG and Tottenham coach has become a favourite according to the US Soccer Federation The Athletics – who say the organization is in talks with his camp.

Gregg Berhalter was fired in July after the United States were eliminated in the group stage of their disastrous Copa America campaign.

Jurgen Klopp had previously been linked with the vacancy but declined to hold talks after leaving Liverpool and wanting to take a break.

Pochettino worked with US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker during his time as Southampton coach, with Crocker in charge of the team’s youth academy.

Gregg Berhalter (left) was sacked after the US’s disastrous Copa America on home soil

Pochettino guided Southampton to eighth place in the Premier League before moving to Tottenham, where he led the club to the Champions League final in 2019.

Pochettino, a former Argentina international, left Chelsea at the end of the previous Premier League season, ending a turbulent spell in London with a respectable sixth-place finish.

He coached Lionel Messi – now at Inter Miami – Kylian Mbappe and Neymar during his time in France as Paris Saint-Germain manager, winning the French league but was sacked for a lack of Champions League success.

The vacancy in the US is extra attractive because the United States will host the next World Cup together with Canada and Mexico.

DailyMail.Com columnist Tim Howard has already backed Pochettino for the role. In his July 12 piece, the former Manchester United goalkeeper said: ‘I’ve always thought Mauricio Pochettino was great.

“His teams have a real identity and attacking flair. He would fit into this USMNT, which is set up for success – young, dynamic and full of skill.”

As Howard said, the team has a wealth of talented young players and has been widely regarded as underperforming with Berhalter. Indeed, the failure to win the Copa America with the tournament on home soil was nothing short of disastrous.

After winning its opening match against Bolivia, the U.S. national team surrendered a 1-0 lead to Panama. The team played most of the match with 10 men after Juventus forward Tim Weah was sent off for violent conduct in the first half.

The US squad features an arsenal of talented attackers, led by AC Milan star Christian Pulisic

The United States lost 1-0 to Uruguay at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and were eliminated. This result marked the end of Berhalter’s tenure.

US fans have long felt that Berhalter has been far too cautious in his tactical deployment of the team, which features attacking talents like Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna and Weah – as well as top midfielders like Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Brendan Aaronson.

Adams called for a “ruthless” coach to take Berhalter’s place in an interview on the Men in Blazers podcast on Wednesday.

“For myself and a young team, where we’re at right now, we need someone who’s almost a little bit ruthless, who puts everybody in their place and understands that this is what needs to be done,” Adams said. “This is the way we’re going to do it and there’s really no ifs or buts.

“It’s not a conversation, it’s more a decision that’s made and this is the way we’re going to play. I think that’s always the best way when you have a short period.

‘The best way to get results is to bring someone in and have someone that you know what they’re going to do before they come in. I don’t think we have a whole lot of time.

“If everyone wants to focus on the goal of the 2026 World Cup and achieving the best possible results, you need to find someone who has achieved results.”

Realising that potential will be key for whoever succeeds Berhalter, but appointing a coach of Pochettino’s calibre would generate huge enthusiasm within the team ahead of the 2026 tournament.