Manchester United are close to appointing Silvia Tuya to new manager Mauricio Pochettino's staff, according to the Guardian. Gary Lineker, meanwhile, has warned that the Argentine could fail.
According to the report, Pochettino's entire five-member coaching team are also set to move from the United States national team to England: assistant coach Jesus Perez, Miguel D'Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez and Pochettino's son Sebastiano as a sports scientist. United have yet to confirm Tuya's appointment separately.
Bringing in the sports scientist and strength and conditioning coach would break new ground for United's men's first team. The 46-year-old Spaniard joined the United States national team staff in October 2024 and became the first female member in the team's history.
Before that, she worked at FC Levante Badalona in Liga F, Spain's top women's football league, and taught at the National Institute of Sports Science of Catalonia at the University of Barcelona.
Pochettino takes up his post on 18 November after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract as Michael Carrick's successor. On "The Rest Is Football" podcast, Lineker expressed doubts about the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea coach's chances of success.
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Gary Lineker predicts a short tenure for Mauricio Pochettino
United's sporting troubles stem from the club's structures, Lineker believes, and the former international striker predicts a short tenure for Pochettino. "I can see Pochettino going there and I think they'll probably make a decent start and do quite well for a while," said Lineker, before adding: "I think Manchester United are a big club for Pochettino - big in name, at least. He'll start there and then, as things develop, he'll be relieved of his duties. I'd be surprised if he's still there in 18 months."
Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, Lineker believes the same pattern has repeated itself at Old Trafford, with managers bearing the consequences of failings at boardroom level. "It's the same thing over and over again: the scapegoat is always the manager, and you can see that," the 65-year-old criticised. "I think the real problems lie above the manager. These people are all good managers. Look at some of the names they've had over the past ten years. How many is it now, twelve managers who have left since Alex Ferguson? And they all leave saying the club is a mess."
Lineker cited United's treatment of Pochettino's predecessor Carrick as evidence. "There will always be managers you can blame. They didn't properly support Carrick in the summer. He played brilliantly in the second half of last season. Admittedly, they weren't in European competition and played on the counter-attack, but I don't know how much longer those in charge at Manchester United can get away with it."