English football has been rocked. According to reliable press reports, Manchester United have struck a "full agreement" with Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick as manager, a move that could redraw the map at the top of the Premier League.
The decisive Monaco meeting
High-level United officials held a decisive meeting in Monaco this Wednesday to thrash out the team's future. Every source at British website "teamtalk" points to the same outcome: Carrick sacked in a face-to-face meeting tomorrow, Thursday.
James Ducker, the renowned Telegraph journalist, reported the latest: "Michael Carrick is expected to be informed tomorrow, Thursday, of his dismissal from his position as manager of Manchester United".
He added: "Nothing is confirmed or final as yet, but this is what is expected at present. Jason Wilcox, Manchester United's sporting director, and chief executive Omar Berrada are due to return from Monaco tonight, and it seems likely they will meet with Carrick face to face at some point on Thursday".
Pochettino as the new coach
Reliable journalist Matteo Moretto has gone further, claiming United and Pochettino have reached a final agreement.
Related Topics
Moretto, who works closely with Fabrizio Romano, announced that "Mauricio Pochettino will be Manchester United's new manager: the two parties have reached a final agreement pending Michael Carrick's dismissal".
United must now notify Pochettino's current club, the United States national team, that they intend to trigger his 10 million dollar release clause.
There's no objection to paying it. Pochettino is still expected to lead the United States in their two matches against Haiti before starting his new mission at Old Trafford.
Will Kane follow his mentor?
With Pochettino edging closer to Old Trafford, speculation has already turned to Harry Kane joining his former coach, the man who turned him into a star at Tottenham.
Kane, a Golden Boot winner, left the Premier League as the second-highest scorer in its history with 213 goals, behind Alan Shearer on 260.
England's record goalscorer recently extended his contract with Bayern Munich, yet the feeling has never gone away that he'll one day return home to break Shearer's record.
Tim Sherwood, the former Tottenham coach, says he wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see Pochettino and Kane reunited at Old Trafford in the coming years.
Speaking to Jamie Redknapp on "Overlap Daily", Sherwood said: "I'll tell you who we might see returning to the Premier League, Harry Kane, and I'll tell you where we might see him, in a Manchester United shirt. If Pochettino moves to Manchester United, there will be a greater chance of Harry Kane joining them in two years".
Redknapp replied with a grin: "Oh, and he'd break Shearer's record for the number of goals in the Premier League. Alan, your friend Alan Shearer won't be happy".
Sherwood added: "When Kane signed his new contract a few days ago, it must have been one of the happiest days of Alan Shearer's life. I messaged him straight away and said: mate, Shearer is happy about that, and he said: there's still time, there's still time for Kane to return".
So could Pochettino be the key that brings Kane back to England? The coming days will tell. What's certain is that Manchester United are bracing for a major upheaval, one that may begin with a coach and end with a historic goalscorer.
