Man Utd: Glazers overruled ‘irrelevant’ INEOS chiefs to complete Pochettino appointment

The Glazer family reportedly ‘said no’ to the appointment of Eddie Howe as Manchester United’s new manager, and were the driving force behind Mauricio Pochettino being chosen as the man to replace Michael Carrick.

Man Utd officially announced Carrick’s sacking earlier on Thursday, after a dismal start to the season that has them sitting in the relegation zone on just eight points from 10 games.

United States manager Pochettino, formerly of Tottenham and Chelsea, is the man who has been tasked with turning things around. But things could have been very different had INEOS got their way.

According to The Daily Mail, ex-Newcastle boss Howe was the top choice of Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, before the majority owners, the Glazers, ‘said no’ and ‘insisted Pochettino would have the keys.’

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his aides have been forced to ‘fall in line with that’, evidencing the fact that it is the Glazers who retain control of the biggest decisions at the club.

Ironically, the Glazers have rejected Pochettino twice in the past, choosing to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ahead of him in 2018, and then Erik ten Hag four years later. 

But now Man Utd’s owners have put their faith in the Argentine, with Berrada and Wilcox now ‘looking like irrelevant auto-rans’ after being overruled, per the report.

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Glazers get their way with Pochettino appointment

Up until recently, Howe was the leading contender to become Man Utd’s new manager, with former Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann considered second favourite.

But with Pochettino now set to be formally announced as Man Utd’s new boss imminently, big plans are already being shaped behind the scenes.

TEAMtalk transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, exclusively revealed earlier today that the Red Devils’ January shortlist includes two players Pochettino knows extremely well.

We understand that Folarin Balogun’s representatives have informed United that Pochettino’s appointment has made a switch to Old Trafford more appealing, with the striker’s camp actively keen to explore the possibility.

The pair enjoyed a productive relationship during their time together with the United States national team, with Pochettino getting some of the best performances out of the striker in recent years.

We also understand United have also been keeping close tabs on Villarreal full-back Alex Freeman, another player who is highly regarded by Pochettino.

The United States international made a significant impression on the manager, who handed him a senior international opportunity ahead of the World Cup finals and subsequently saw him establish himself as a starter.

Freeman’s rise under Pochettino has made the defender a player of particular interest to the United boss, and his familiarity with the youngster could be useful as United assess their options.

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