The Pochettino favourites that could now sign for Man United - including £38m Spurs gem and lethal striker
Mauricio Pochettino will be on the hunt for new signings, after being named Manchester United’s latest manager
Another day, another new dawn at Manchester United. Mauricio Pochettino has become the latest manager entrusted with rescuing the Red Devils’ sinking ship, after Michael Carrick was relieved of his duties following a dire start to the new season - so dire, in fact, that United went into the international break in the Premier League relegation zone.
Pochettino, who has managed twice in the Premier League before with Tottenham and Chelsea, will be eager for a fresh start after guiding the USA to the Round of 16 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He’s signed on the dotted line on a two-and-a-half year deal at Old Trafford, as the club look to begin the path back to their former glory.
Often when a new manager is appointed, the transfer rumour mill goes into overdrive, with their former favourite players linked with a reunion at the new club in question. As Pochettino prepares for his first game in charge of United, we’ve taken a look at six past players who could join him at Old Trafford for the bold new era.
The ex-Pochettino favourites who Man Utd could sign
Perhaps most pressing on the list of Manchester United transfer requirements is a new left-back, after the Red Devils blew almost their entire summer budget on three central midfielders, and completely neglected an area where they clearly need to strengthen. Luke Shaw has missed a significant portion of this season’s first quarter with injury, and his stand-in Diego Dalot has, to put it mildly, struggled.
Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson was a key player for Pochettino during his time in charge of the USA. It’s understood that the Argentinean boss will have a greater sway on transfers than his recent predecessors, and could certainly make the case for signing Robinson in January. He’s an experienced Premier League talent with bags of experience, and was so highly rated earlier on in his career that he almost joined AC Milan from Wigan Athletic, only for a failed medical to scupper the deal.
United could also do with a centre-back or two, and the long forgotten Juan Foyth - a former star for Pochettino during his time at Spurs - could be seen as a potential target. These days, the 2021 Europa League winner plays for Villarreal in La Liga, and while injury problems have dogged him in recent times, he’s a quality, composed defender who could bring some order to the Red Devils’ shambolic defence.
If Foyth’s injury record is deemed to be too much of a gamble - United do rather need to get their next two transfer windows spot on - then perhaps central defender Chris Richards from Crystal Palace could be a safer bet. The USA international will be available on a free transfer next summer, meaning he could leave Selhurst Park on the cheap come January.
Pochettino tipped for Balogun reunion
Moving further up the field, United’s midfield still looks a little unbalanced, despite the aforementioned significant investments made into the area last summer. Pochettino will demand his new charges become fitness machines, and one of the best examples of a cardiorespiratory crusader in the Premier League is Tottenham’s Conor Gallagher.
The £38m ex-Atletico Madrid star was a key player for Pochettino during his time at Chelsea, and even wore the armband for periods of time when club captain Reece James was injured. He’d inject some real energy into United’s midfield, and could provide the kind of gritty fighting spirit the side have been crying out for for quite some time.
Up top, United have already been linked with USA and Monaco star Falorin Balogun since Pochettino’s appointment. The 25-year-old striker blitzed his way to 19 goals in all competitions for Monaco last season, and impressed at the World Cup with the USA. He could well be up for grabs in January, after seeing a Deadline Day move to Everton collapse last summer.
Balogun may have got cold feet when it came to joining the Toffees, but he’s said to still be keen on a move to the Premier League, and he could be an ideal option to challenge Benjamin Sesko for his starting spot, offering a dynamic option who should be physically ready for the rigours of top tier football in England.
We’ll round things off with a long shot, but one which shouldn’t be dismissed straight away. Harry Kane - stick with us here - won’t be leaving Bayern Munich for the next three transfer windows, that’s for sure. But in the summer of 2027, why not? By then United could well be a competitive force once again, and provide an ideal last dance for Kane who has unfinished business in the Premier League, currently sitting 47 goals behind Alan Shearer in the division’s all-time scorer’s list.
From an international football perspective, staying in Germany makes a lot of sense for Kane right now. He’ll want to have that Bundesliga winter break two more times before Euro 2026, giving him the best possible chance of entering the tournament fully fit. After what could well be his final tournament for England, a season or two at a United rejuvenated by his former boss Pochettino could be the ideal way to see out his glittering career.