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Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Soccer Federation are working on an agreement that might make him coach of the U.S. national team, an individual acquainted with the negotiations told the Associated Press.
Pochettino, the previous Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach, has agreed to take over as U.S. coach however the deal has not been finalized, the person said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity since the agreement has not yet been finalized.
Pochettino would succeed Gregg Berhalter lower than 22 months before the 2026 World Cup is scheduled to happen in America.
The USSF declined to comment.
Pochettino, 52, an Argentine, can be the primary foreign-born coach to guide the United States since Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011 to 2016. He coached Espanyol in Spain (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19) and Chelsea (2023-24) in England, and Paris Saint-Germain in France (2021-22). He left the club after winning a Ligue 1 title.
Matt Crocker, the united states's sporting director answerable for the search, was Southampton's academy director when Pochettino joined the club.
The USA has 4 friendlies scheduled: against Canada on September 7, New Zealand three days later, Panama on October 12 and an opponent to be determined on October 15. The next competitive matches are a home-and-away CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal in November.
Mikey Varas, an assistant to Berhalter, could take charge of the team for the September games and Pochettino could take over for the October games.
Berhalter was fired on July 10, per week after the Americans were eliminated in the primary round of the Copa America. He was hired in December 2018, allowed to depart when his contract expired following a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands within the second round of the 2022 World Cup, then rehired in June 2023 and returned in September.
Pochettino would inherit a pool of players headlined by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, who’ve enjoyed success at European clubs. But goalkeepers Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath and midfielder Gio Reyna have did not get playing time at top-flight clubs, and Chris Richards – at Crystal Palace in England – is the one centre-back in his twenties to play usually at a top European club.
Berhalter has used few Major League Soccer players and didn’t use a single one on the Copa America. Before managing the national team, Berhalter coached Columbus within the MLS.
Discipline on the pitch was an issue: defender Sergiño Dest received two red cards within the last 13 months, McKennie and winger Tim Weah one each.
Pochettino was a central defender who played for Newell's Old Boys in Argentina and for Espanyol, PSG and Bordeaux in Europe from the late Nineteen Eighties until 2006. He made 20 appearances for Argentina and took part within the 1999 Copa América and the 2002 World Cup, where his foul on Michael Owen led to a penalty converted by David Beckham in a 1-0 group stage defeat to Argentina.
After his playing days, he became a coach at Espanyol, taking up as first-team coach in January 2009 and helping the team avoid relegation. Pochettino was sacked in November 2012 with the team in last place and was hired by English club Southampton two months later.
Pochettino joined Tottenham in May 2014, who reached the finals of the 2015 League Cup (losing to Chelsea) and the 2019 Champions League (losing to Liverpool). He was sacked in November 2019, with Spurs in 14th place, and replaced by José Mourinho.
PSG signed Pochettino in January 2021. The team finished second within the league and lost to Manchester City within the Champions League semi-finals, but won the French Cup, beating Monaco 2-0 in the ultimate. Led by Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, PSG clinched the 2022 Ligue 1 title with 4 games to spare, but lost to Real Madrid within the Champions League round of 16.
Pochettino left PSG at the top of the 2022/23 season and was then hired by Chelsea in June 2023 after the club finished twelfth. Chelsea lost the League Cup final to Liverpool and finished sixth within the Premier League but missed out on the Champions League. Pochettino left the club two days after the ultimate.
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