Mauricio Pochettino near to taking over as USMNT’s new manager

Mauricio Pochettino seems destined to be the US men’s team’s new manager.

The Guardian knows that the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager has been presented the chance to succeed Gregg Berhalter and lead the US in the next World Cup in 2026, which it will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

Negotiations between Pochettino, his representatives, and US Soccer’s technical director, Matt Crocker, with whom he worked at Southampton, have lasted many weeks and are thought to be almost finished.

For the US, who became the first host nation to fail to pass the Copa América group stages last month, persuading the former Argentina defender to take over would be a coup. Two weeks later Berhalter was let go.

On the Football Association’s shortlist to succeed Gareth Southgate, Pochettino who left Chelsea at the end of last season after managing them to sixth place in the Premier League was also included.

Last Monday, Lee Carsley was appointed as England’s temporary manager as the FA keeps looking for a permanent successor.

US Soccer had earlier sought to entice Jürgen Klopp into an early comeback to management, but they focused on Pochettino when the German turned down their approaches.

Having already previously managed Espanyol, Southampton, and Paris Saint- Germain, it would be the 52-year-old’s first overseas appointment. On September 7, the US is scheduled to meet Canada; by then, they hope to have named Pochettino.