After a disastrous Copa America and coach Gregg Berhalter’s exit, the USMNT has finally grabbed what they considered a ‘pie in the sky-‘ a new coach. It was a big-shot manager with Premier League experience that the US Wanted. They first went for Jurgen Klopp’s signature. But, Klopp rejected the offer and the US Soccer Federation has now shaken hands with Klopp’s former PL rival and ex-Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, per reports. Having successfully led PSG, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, the Argentine coach Pochettino seems a good bet for the USMNT, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup has knocked on the door.

It would be interesting to see how the Pochettino saga develops in the USMNT’s front office, considering they must dig deep to come close to the coach’s Chelsea salary. Here’s what we could gather about the Argentine coach’s expected salary in the American camp.

How much will Mauricio Pochettino likely earn as the new USMNT boss?

National team coaching jobs have seldom been as financially enterprising as their club football counterparts. Uruguay’s Marcelo Bielsa, who earns $ 4 million a year, is the highest-paid manager in the Americas. Former US boss Berhalter earned $2.2 million a year. These numbers surely don’t add up to Mauricio Pochettino’s $13.2 million a year paycheck he used to get in Chelsea. It remains to be seen if the USMNT which has never spent more than $3.2 million on coaches would splurge this big a sum for the Argentine.

Besides, US Soccer’s equal pay rule also raises eyebrows regarding the USSF’s capacity to pay the ex-Chelsea and Spurs boss. The USWNT coach Emma Hayes will earn $2 million a season in the camp. Berhalter, on the other hand, earned $2.2 M a season. Anyhow, the USMNT will up the ante for the Argentina boss. Coach Hayes was asked if she would get a raise if the USMNT were to hire a high-profile coach like Klopp. Since that is how the talks are, there won’t be a question of Pochettino taking a pay cut to match the USWNT boss’ salary. Meanwhile, Pochettino’s contract details too are yet to be out.

Moreover, a US team insider recently confirmed that the USSF would use sponsorships to tackle the head coach’s salary bottleneck.

Money won’t be a problem for the USMNT, it seems

The USMNT was heavily rumored to sign former English coach Gareth Southgate who earned $7 million/season with the Three Lions. At that time, renowned journalist Jeff Carlisle, close to the USMNT, said that money was not an issue for the US to hire a new coach. “Money is not an issue. USSF can make it happen. Just have sponsors fill any shortfall. It’s like colleges pay a base salary and then have outside sources do the rest. Not complicated,” Carlisle said.

Mauricio Pochettino agreed to join the USMNT after being closely linked to the England national team. If the USA’s offer has prompted him to snub the Three Lions, it would be something quite enticing. Having inked sponsorship pacts with Nike, Coca-Cola, and Volkswagen, among others, it is not beyond the USMNT to keep Pochettino happy. Anyhow, the Argentine has to thrive amid immense pressure. After the Copa America crash-out, the USMNT is in no position to take yet another humiliation on home soil, that too in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.