USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly close to agreeing to a deal to become the next manager of Manchester United, replacing Michael Carrick. And while that may be a sizable blow, U.S. Soccer reportedly already have plans in place.

They intend to lure none other than former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to replace the outgoing Pochettino. According to The Athletic, Guardiola has been discussed internally at multiple levels of U.S. Soccer’s hiring process, although his appointment would be difficult to secure because he has shown little interest in an immediate return to management after leaving Manchester City this summer.

The former Barcelona manager turned down the Italy job earlier this year, and told Italian football federation president Giovanni Malago that he was on a sabbatical, partly for ‘family reasons.’ However, Guardiola has a longstanding connection to the United States and has expressed interest in the possibility of coaching there. He spent a year in New York with his family after leaving Barcelona in 2012, and wished the team well when Pochettino was appointed, per The Athletic.

Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp were among the high-profile candidates contacted at the beginning of the search that ultimately brought the Argentine to replace Gregg Berhalter in 2024.

“The USA is fascinating to try to build a project for many years and being able to get the national team to the next step,” Guardiola said. “The potential with the USA is there for the amount of people and sports and so on.”

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While it looks highly unlikely, especially considering that Pochettino’s exit has still not been finalized, Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the best managers of all time. He has not only revolutionalized modern football, but has also found immense success along the way.

There may not be many managers out there who will be considered an automatic upgrade on what Pochettino brought to the USMNT. However, the 55-year-old Spaniard is firmly at the top of that category.