Mauricio Pochettino once told Luke Shaw not to do something before he joined Man Utd.
Mauricio Pochettino went the extra mile to make sure Luke Shaw ate the right foods when he was at Southampton. This story feels even more fitting now, as Pochettino is the top choice to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
David Ornstein reports that United are close to finalizing a deal to bring in Pochettino if they decide to part ways with Carrick. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to meet with chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox in Monaco on Wednesday, where they’ll likely recommend letting Carrick go.
Carrick is facing the possibility of losing his job after overseeing United’s worst Premier League start ever. They’ve only managed one win and eight points from their first 10 games, meaning they’ll need something special to turn things around and reach the Champions League.
On Tuesday, news came out that United would have to pay around $10 million (£7.5m) to buy Pochettino out of his four-year contract with the US national team, which he extended in August. The Argentine coach is reportedly open to taking the role at Old Trafford and would bring his own coaching staff, along with some firm rules for the players.
For example, during his time at Southampton from January 2013 to May 2014, Pochettino famously stopped Luke Shaw from eating pizza and made sure his players stuck to healthy diets. Gary Neville brought up the story on The Overlap podcast, asking if it was true that Pochettino would even visit Shaw’s house to prevent him from eating pizza. Pochettino confirmed the story, saying it was something that made them proud.
Shaw became a key player under Pochettino at just 18 years old, making 35 Premier League appearances in the 2013/14 season. He then moved to Manchester United for a record £30 million for a teenager in June 2014, right after Pochettino left Southampton to manage Tottenham Hotspur.
Now, 12 years later, there’s a strong chance they could work together again at Manchester United, with Shaw having to follow some of those same strict rules.
Pochettino’s style focuses on personal responsibility and unique punishments instead of traditional fines. While managing Chelsea, for example, when Nicolas Jackson got several yellow cards for arguing with referees in 2023, Pochettino made him do a tough long-distance run during training. Since Pochettino himself was banned from the touchline at the time, he showed team spirit by buying dinner for the whole squad.
Jackson was also scolded after clashing with teammate Noni Madueke over who should take a penalty against Everton in 2024. Rather than fining them, Pochettino publicly and privately criticized their behavior, saying he was very disappointed after the team’s big 6-0 win. He told them, “I can’t accept this kind of behavior. If we want to be a great team, we need to think as a group.”
If Pochettino becomes the Manchester United manager, expect him to be strict with players who step out of line, using firm but fair punishments to keep the team focused and united.