Mauricio Pochettino puts Premier League return on hold with new US Soccer contract close

Mauricio Pochettino is poised to lead the USMNT to another World Cup.

After a period on reflection following defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16, talkSPORT understands an extension to his contract with the US Soccer Federation is close to being agreed, keeping him in charge until the 2030 World Cup.

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The former Southampton, Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea coach from Murphy in Argentina, signed a reported $6million a year deal in September 2024 to lead the United States into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

That two-year deal – funded in part by investment companies and commercial partners – was due to expire after the World Cup, and the manor of a 4-1 defeat to Belgium placed huge questions over the 54-year-old staying on.

Those doubts were raised even further when former USMNT defender Steve Cherundolo was announced the head US head coach for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

However talkSPORT understands Pochettino is expected to be involved in LA2028 in some capacity as part of his lucrative deal.

Pochettino’s focus will be on the full squad as the expected new four-year deal will take in the next COPA America in 2028 and the World Cup in 2030 that will take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola had been names heavily linked as a possible replacement for Pochettino but other options appear thin on the ground.

Klopp has answered the call from his native Germany while Guardiola is likely to taken an extended break from the game after stepping down as Man City manager.

Instead Pochettino stays on, and must deliver a return on a contract that makes him one of the best paid international managers on the planet.

So far he has a fourth played finished in the Nations League, a runners-up finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and yet another Round of 16 World Cup defeat for the US, on his resume.

How did the USMNT do at the World Cup?

A rollercoaster World Cup campaign on their own soil had hopes high of just a second appearance in the quarterfinal stages since 1930.

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Two wins from their first two games wrapped up first place in the group before their final game which brought a much changed team and a defeat against Turkey.

But that decision was justified when the US eased past Bosnia & Herzegovina in the Round of 32 in Santa Clara to have expectation at fever pitch.

However the build up to a Round of 16 meeting with Belgium was dominated by the fallout red card to Folarin Balogun in the win over Bosnia.

A one-game suspension was suspended, seemingly on the intervention of President Donald Trump, and Balogun played.

However the US were crushed at Seattle’s Lumen Field and their hopes of a deep run extinguished to crank up the pressure on Pochettino.