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Source: Man United Does ‘Due Diligence’ on Pochettino Becoming Its Next Coach

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
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Source: Man United Does ‘Due Diligence’ on Pochettino Becoming Its Next Coach

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)

Manchester United is working on a potential deal to have US men’s team coach Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick, who is under pressure after a dismal start to the season, a source with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

United is in 18th place in the Premier League standings after 10 rounds, the club's worst start in the modern era.

Pochettino is a candidate to succeed Carrick, even though the 54-year-old Argentine is under contract with the US team through the 2030 World Cup.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that preparations to appoint Pochettino had been carried out as a matter of “due diligence." The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no final decision has been made on Carrick's future.

Julian Nagelsmann, Eddie Howe and Antonio Conte have also been reported to be options in recent weeks.

It is not uncommon for clubs weigh up potential candidates and reach out to intermediaries before deciding to fire a coach.

Pochettino, who has previously coached Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League, took over the US team in October 2024 and led it to the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup.

He was a leading candidate for Manchester United in 2022 when Erik ten Hag was ultimately hired.

Pochettino won the French title with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, but arguably his greatest achievement was turning Tottenham into a serial title contender in the Premier League and also leading the London club to the Champions League final in 2019.

He has never won a major trophy in England, most recently losing in the final of the English League Cup with Chelsea in 2024.

Carrick, who said Sunday that he would not walk away from the job, was due to lead training Wednesday despite increased speculation over his position.

United opted against firing him last month, deciding to give him time to turn around a wretched start to the season, but Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa left the 20-time English champion in the relegation zone with just one win from 10 games.

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Source: Man United Does ‘Due Diligence’ on Pochettino Becoming Its Next Coach

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
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Source: Man United Does ‘Due Diligence’ on Pochettino Becoming Its Next Coach

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino arrives for the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium in Seattle, July 6, 2026. (AP)

Manchester United is working on a potential deal to have US men’s team coach Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick, who is under pressure after a dismal start to the season, a source with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.

United is in 18th place in the Premier League standings after 10 rounds, the club's worst start in the modern era.

Pochettino is a candidate to succeed Carrick, even though the 54-year-old Argentine is under contract with the US team through the 2030 World Cup.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that preparations to appoint Pochettino had been carried out as a matter of “due diligence." The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no final decision has been made on Carrick's future.

Julian Nagelsmann, Eddie Howe and Antonio Conte have also been reported to be options in recent weeks.

It is not uncommon for clubs weigh up potential candidates and reach out to intermediaries before deciding to fire a coach.

Pochettino, who has previously coached Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League, took over the US team in October 2024 and led it to the round of 16 at this year’s World Cup.

He was a leading candidate for Manchester United in 2022 when Erik ten Hag was ultimately hired.

Pochettino won the French title with Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, but arguably his greatest achievement was turning Tottenham into a serial title contender in the Premier League and also leading the London club to the Champions League final in 2019.

He has never won a major trophy in England, most recently losing in the final of the English League Cup with Chelsea in 2024.

Carrick, who said Sunday that he would not walk away from the job, was due to lead training Wednesday despite increased speculation over his position.

United opted against firing him last month, deciding to give him time to turn around a wretched start to the season, but Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa left the 20-time English champion in the relegation zone with just one win from 10 games.

Sports

Vonn Recovering from Ninth Surgery After Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn attends the 15th Annual LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Lindsey Vonn attends the 15th Annual LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
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Vonn Recovering from Ninth Surgery After Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn attends the 15th Annual LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)
Lindsey Vonn attends the 15th Annual LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles, California, US, November 7, 2026. (Reuters)

American downhill great Lindsey ‌Vonn has undergone a ninth operation on the left leg she shattered in a horrific crash at the Winter Olympics in Cortina in February.

The 42-year-old posted a message before surgery saying she hoped it would be the last operation she required.

Vonn made it to her fifth Olympics despite an ACL injury the week before but crashed 13 seconds into her run, suffering a ‌compound fracture ‌and tibial plateau fracture.

"This day has ‌been ⁠looming on my ⁠calendar for a while now and the time has finally come," Vonn said on Instagram ahead of her surgery this week. "I've been nervous and anxious about it, but at the same time excited to hopefully put this behind me.

"This ⁠will be my ninth surgery and ‌I'm praying my last. ‌There are still things that could change in ‌surgery so we will have to wait and ‌see how it goes but I will keep you posted on my progress when I am out of surgery and recovering."

Vonn was named in the US ‌Alpine ski team for the 2026-27 World Cup season despite uncertainty over ⁠her future, ⁠although she is refusing to rule out a return.

"There's a lot of unanswered questions that I have in my mind and I'm still trying to process everything," she said.

"I don't want to close the door on racing. I think I have to be 100%, and I want to get back on the mountain before I can make that judgement."

Vonn is one of Alpine skiing's most decorated athletes with three Olympic medals and 84 World Cup victories.

Sports

Kudus Boost as Desperate Ghana Seek AFCON Redemption

07 November 2026, United Kingdom, Leeds: Tottenham Hotspur's Mohammed Kudus (R) and Leeds United's Ao Tanaka battle for the ball during the English Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. (dpa)
07 November 2026, United Kingdom, Leeds: Tottenham Hotspur's Mohammed Kudus (R) and Leeds United's Ao Tanaka battle for the ball during the English Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. (dpa)
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Kudus Boost as Desperate Ghana Seek AFCON Redemption

07 November 2026, United Kingdom, Leeds: Tottenham Hotspur's Mohammed Kudus (R) and Leeds United's Ao Tanaka battle for the ball during the English Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. (dpa)
07 November 2026, United Kingdom, Leeds: Tottenham Hotspur's Mohammed Kudus (R) and Leeds United's Ao Tanaka battle for the ball during the English Premier League match between Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road. (dpa)

Troubled Ghana have received a boost with Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mohammed Kudus available for a must-win Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Somalia on Thursday.

Injuries ruled the 26-year-old out of the 2026 World Cup, and he also missed AFCON losses to the Ivory Coast and the Gambia two months ago.

Veteran captain and striker Jordan Ayew, who plays for English second-tier club Sheffield United, is another returnee as Ghana seek redemption after a dismal start in Group C.

However, the four-time African champions must do without injured Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo when they face opponents 130 places lower in the world rankings.

The loss to the Ivorians in Abidjan was not unexpected, but the 4-2 defeat at home to the Gambians after building a two-goal lead led to Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz resigning.

Matchdays three and four begin on Thursday and conclude on Tuesday. Countries meet each other at home and away, but Ghana will be at "home" twice due to the security situation in Somalia.

Somali preparations at a university stadium in Accra were disrupted when security personnel ordered the squad to move to another location.

While Ghana seek six points in Essipong to get back into contention ahead of the final two matchdays next March, co-leaders Ivory Coast and Gambia also meet twice, in Abidjan and Bakau.

AFP Sport highlights Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Tunisia -- four teams in trouble after poor starts to qualifying.

GHANA

Swede Kim Lars Bjorkegren, the coach of the Ghana women's national team, has been put in temporary charge of the men's team while the search for a permanent replacement continues.

He had mixed results at the recent women's AFCON in Morocco. They lost to eventual champions Cameroon in the quarter-finals, but are still contenders for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

After losing narrowly in the Gambia, the Ocean Stars of Somalia held three-time African champions Ivory Coast goalless for 88 minutes before conceding twice.

NIGERIA

Having struggled to overcome modest Madagascar at home on matchday one in Group L, lackluster Nigeria crashed to a 3-0 away loss against Guinea-Bissau, a country ranked 124th in the world.

On top of failing to qualify for the last two World Cup tournaments, the humiliating AFCON defeat led to an outcry with former star Segun Odegbami lamenting "a dive to new depths".

Nigeria must face Tanzania -- automatic qualifiers as co-hosts with Kenya and Uganda -- without injured star striker Victor Osimhen, the 2023 African Footballer of the Year.

CAPE VERDE

Football fans at the 2026 World Cup fell in love with the tiny island nation off the west coast of Africa after they held Spain, then took Argentina to extra time in a last-32 tie.

But the Blue Sharks could miss a second successive AFCON after losing away to Mali and at home to Rwanda. They now face fellow Group K strugglers Liberia twice.

Coach Bubista quit after the World Cup to join Moroccan club Renaissance Berkane. Former assistant Humberto Bettencourt took charge and needs two wins to restore hope of qualifying.

TUNISIA

Tunisia were the only one of 10 African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup who failed to get past the first round after three defeats under two coaches.

Sabri Lamouchi was sacked after a heavy loss to Sweden, and fellow French coach Herve Renard was unable to turn the tide and left following defeats by Japan and the Netherlands.

The Carthage Eagles turned to Tunisian Mouin Chaabani, a trophy winner with clubs in CAF competitions. They face Libya in Group H after being held at home by Uganda and Botswana.