The USMNT manager’s seat has been left vacant for quite some time, and we wonder if it’s a hot seat anymore. Potential coach Mauricio Pochettino had given the USA the nod two weeks back. While the street expected the former Chelsea boss to take over in the September friendlies, the US soccer announced that Gregg Berhalter’s assistant Mikey Varas would lead the USMNT in this month’s friendlies. Besides, the USMNT has yet to officially announce the hiring of Pochettino. If you are worried that Pochettino’s hiring will be a distant dream, we have something to cool you down.

English Premier League giant Chelsea has yet to settle certain financial obligations they have with the Argentine boss. Anyhow, per the latest updates, it seems like Pochettino’s Chelsea episode is coming to a climax.

USMNT to soon unveil Mauricio Pochettino as its new head coach

Mauricio Pochettino had two more years in his contract when he left Chelsea. Besides, as per the Blues’ severance package, they should pay Poch’s wages until he finds a new team. Since the Argentine has verbally agreed to join the USMNT and national team jobs pay less than PL clubs, Chelsea is trying to find a third-party sponsor to fund the former Tottenham boss’s wage. This financial bottleneck seems to have come to an end.

As per Azteca Deportes’s Jose Alvaro Tejano, the US Soccer Federation will unveil Mauricio Pochettino as the new USMNT boss on Wednesday, September 04. Reports had it that the USMNT will announce its September roster and Pochettino’s signing separately. Now that the September rosters are out, we could expect Pochettino and the USMNT to put pen on paper on the said date.

That takes us to the next question. Will the US Soccer be able to afford a manager like Pochettino? Well, insiders say money won’t trouble the USMNT. 

Prior reports say the USMNT won’t have a financial bottleneck if they hire Pochettino

There’s a bleak chance of Mauricio Pochettino getting similar pay as his club stints while coaching a national team. Whether in the Americas, Europe, or elsewhere, NT jobs are less paid, and Poch will have to go for a pay cut. Even so, the USMNT needs a good war chest to keep the Argentine in the American camp. Since the USMNT and the USWNT have agreed to an equal-pay CBA, the USSF has limitations on splurging on the former PSG and Chelsea boss.

However, soccer journalist Jess Carslile, who is close to the USMNT said that the team has no financial constraints to hire an elite overseas manager. “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. So, it seems like the American federation will also resort to the same strategy as Chelsea to find a third-party sponsor to manage Pochettino’s pay.