Tearful Pochettino on 'difficult' decision to leave USA for Man Utd

Pochettino broke down in tears at his first news conference, explaining why he left the USA job to manage Manchester United, saying the Old Trafford opportunity was too good to turn down.

Mauricio Pochettino was announced as Manchester United head coach on Friday, replacing Michael Carrick. The Argentine, who had only signed a new four-year deal with the USA national team in the summer, said the decision to leave was "one of the most difficult" of his career.

United paid a release clause of around £7.4m to extract Pochettino from his USA contract, with additional payments made for his backroom staff. The 54-year-old became emotional during his first news conference, saying: "When it arrives, it's difficult to turn down" when asked about the Manchester United opportunity.

He will lead the USA in matches against Haiti on 14 and 18 November before taking charge at Old Trafford.

Pochettino inherits a United side languishing in 18th place in the Premier League after winning just once in 10 league matches. His first match will be an away fixture against Liverpool on 22 November. The appointment ends a decade-long pursuit by United, who had previously considered him in 2016, 2018, and 2024 before ultimately choosing other candidates.