Pep Guardiola may emerge as the frontrunner to manage the United States men’s national team should Mauricio Pochettino depart from his role, with increasing speculation connecting him to Manchester United.
As reported by The Athletic, U.S. Soccer is ready to prioritize the former Manchester City manager as its main candidate if a coaching opening appears, though persuading the highly accomplished coach to accept the position would be a complex endeavor.
Guardiola has in the past shown interest in the prospect of working in the United States, and the federation has held an interest in his services since before Pochettino was hired.
Guardiola becomes USMNT’s primary target
The Athletic states that Guardiola has been on U.S. Soccer’s radar for a considerable time, with the federation considering him a possible option even prior to bringing in Pochettino as head coach.
Nevertheless, obtaining his commitment would be anything but easy. The report recognizes that securing the Spaniard’s services would be neither simple nor straightforward, despite the apparent mutual interest.
Guardiola has reportedly had conversations with U.S. Soccer previously, and the idea of managing the national team has drawn his interest.
Pep Guardiola has already discussed the USA project
The Manchester City manager has spoken favorably in the past about the chance to work in American soccer, emphasizing the nation’s athletic potential and the opportunity to build something across a long period.
“The USA is fascinating to try to build a project for many years and be able to get the national team to the next step,” Guardiola said.
He further cited the country’s population and sports culture as factors that could make the project especially appealing, indicating that the United States possesses substantial potential to develop its national team.
The Spaniard also has some prior experience of living in the country. During his break between his time at Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Guardiola resided in New York City.
Pochettino’s Manchester United connections create ambiguity
At present, Pochettino continues to lead the USMNT, but rumors about his future have grown stronger in recent days as Manchester United contemplate a change in management.
The Premier League side are reportedly getting ready to relieve Michael Carrick of his duties during the current international window, raising the chances of a possible approach for the Argentine.
A potential exit for Pochettino would leave U.S. Soccer needing to find a new head coach, with Guardiola surfacing as the federation’s favored candidate.
Still, although the former Manchester City manager’s interest in the United States is well established, converting that possibility into an actual appointment would pose a considerable challenge.