Pochettino’s 5 priorities include axing Man Utd deadwood, deciding Bruno’s future and shock transfer for former star

MANCHESTER UNITED are only one point further away from the top four than when they first looked to appoint Mauricio Pochettino in December 2018.

The difference is back then they were sixth. Now they are 18th.

will enter a club whose matchgoers want rid of the owners, the chief executive, the director of football and many players.

As invidious as the circumstances are, it should not be difficult to lift a squad that has gifted players to a more respectable standing in a sub-standard .

For Pochettino’s own sake, he best be advised objectively and soundly. He has to judge individuals on what they are doing, not what they have done.

Here are his five priorities:

FERNANDES’ FUTURE

Several senior players’ futures have to be decided in Pochettino’s first six months, which could set the tone for his United tenure.

United’s multiple contract offers to confirm they want to keep him at a time when they should arguably be looking to move him on.

As brilliant a player as Fernandes has been for , they have been a one-man band for most of his time at the club and it has taken the club only so far.

In recent months, that one-man band has been hitting the wrong notes and did not get a tune out of the backing orchestra. United also need to revert to a more functional team that is not so dependent on one conductor.

Whether Fernandes stays or goes is a big decision. United could sell him in January, which seems unthinkable, release him in the summer or – provided his contract has been extended until 2028 – and obtain a fee then.

Pochettino is an authoritative enough figurehead to dictate whether Fernandes stays or goes. He needs to gauge the player’s own feelings, too.

Director of football Jason Wilcox calls the shots on recruitment but this is a call that Pochettino has to have a big bearing on and one he has got to make sooner rather than later.

WHO GOES?

Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and are all out of contract in the summer. Shaw wrote in Pochettino’s 2017 book that he wanted to play under him again. Their reunion should not extend beyond this season.

Shaw has missed more matches than he has played during his 13-year United career and he has been unable to cope with the increased workload this season.

A left back is a must for United next year and there is little sense in retaining a player looked to offload for an upgrade in 2018.

Martinez has not had a good spell of form in three-and-a-half years, is injury-prone, error-prone and is going the right way of getting out of dodge.

The Argentine should not be reprieved on account of shared nationality with Pochettino and the only dilemma regarding the one-year option on Martinez’s deal is whether to trigger it merely to secure a fee in the summer.

United also have a one-year option on Maguire’s contract. He has been available for every match this season and there is some merit in retaining him for one more year, strictly as a squad player.

The counter-argument is that offloading Maguire and Martinez would make room for the two new centre halves that United need.

Diogo Dalot’s and Noussair Mazraoui’s contracts expire in 2028 and at least one of them has to go to make way for a new right back.

United have not bought a successful senior right back since Paul Parker in 1991.

is also about to enter the final 18 months of his deal, which does not have a plus-one option. Rashford has not played in over a month, not scored for United in almost two years and did not want to return in the summer. That should make Pochettino’s mind up.

Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte and Matthijs de Ligt, arrivals in Ineos’s first summer, need to be moved on, if possible.

DEMANDS FOR JANUARY

Pochettino tolerated Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy not making a single signing in the 2018 summer transfer window. It would be intolerable to go through the upcoming winter window without a single reinforcement.

After Ruben Amorim’s November appointment, United brought in a bespoke left wing back in in the winter window.

That gives Pochettino leverage and the needs are greater now with United 18th and their defence in possibly its most shambolic state since relegation in 1974.

United need a durable left back and credible support striker. Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodrigo Muniz are two potential short-term fixes with Premier League clout that United should not necessarily turn their noses up at. is worth a call amid his lack of playing time at Chelsea.

In recent years, United have opted for low-key mid-season recruits. They had their hands forced with loanees Jack Butland, Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer in January 2023, Dorgu was a data-driven buy in 2025 and Ayden Heaven cost a meagre £1.5m in the same window.

This time, it is common knowledge they erred in not bringing in a left back and support striker in the summer, so deal-making is essential.

ACADEMY ACES?

Almost every post-Ferguson United manager has left an academy legacy.

David Moyes had Adnan Januzaj, Louis van Gaal had Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, Mourinho’s was Scott McTominay, Mason Greenwood was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s, Ralf Rangnick settled on Anthony Elanga and Erik ten Hag entrusted Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

It has dried up in the past two years amid the revolving door at Carrington. Shea Lacey took off under Amorim and spread his wings on Carrick’s watch, at least.

Although United made the FA Youth Cup final last season, that squad danced to the tune ofl and the 16-year-old has upped sticks for Madrid.

During his heyday at Tottenham, Pochettino did almost as much for the England national team as Roy Hodgson and . Tottenham had five players in the 2018 World Cup squad and the oldest was 27. Pochettino had also developed Kyle Walker into the world’s most expensive full back.

Pochettino’s work with youngsters is one of the prime reasons United have hired him. Given their struggles at full back, 19-year-olds Jaydan Kamason and Harry Amass cannot be discounted from call-ups.

United lack athleticism and 18-year-old Godwill Kukonki is one to watch when he is fit again.

CRACK THE WHIP

United are 19th for total distance covered in the Premier League, 17th for high-speed running distance and 19th for average max speed this season.

Compared with the 17 games Carrick managed last term, United’s high-speed distance running, sprint distance, sprints, high-speed runs and accelerations have all dropped. They also rank bottom out of the 20 Premier League clubs in the Gradient Sports athleticism score.

Carrick did not have his own fitness coach and gave the players the day off the day after games. Those were early red flags.

Pochettino is hot on fitness. Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld called pre-season “brutal” whereas Youri Tielemans revealed he was told to “chill” after he arrived at United.

The environment was too lax and players found one of the biggest perks about the Carton House training camp was its golf course. Pochettino is not a golfer.