Manchester United's director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, are expected to meet Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Tuesday and recommend the sacking of head coach Michael Carrick, according to the Guardian.
Wilcox and Berrada have concluded that Carrick should be removed after analysing his and the team's performance. They are poised to tell Ratcliffe, who controls sporting policy at the club, that a new manager is needed.
Mauricio Pochettino, the USA head coach, has emerged as a strong candidate and is reportedly open to taking the job. Pochettino is believed to have a break clause that would require United to pay about £7m in compensation to the US Soccer Federation. He is contracted to the USA until the 2030 World Cup. Eddie Howe also remains on Wilcox's radar.
Carrick is due to take training on Tuesday with United sitting in the Premier League relegation zone and 17th in the Champions League standings, having recorded three victories in 15 games in all competitions this season.
Carrick came close to losing his job after a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on 25 October. Wilcox and Berrada met the following day at the training ground to discuss his position and decided to give him three games before the international break to show that he and the squad could turn results around. United lost one, won one and drew one of those matches, and those performances, combined with the overall run of form, have moved Wilcox and Berrada towards recommending his removal.
There is a growing expectation within the club that Carrick will lose his job. United were approached for comment.
