Mauricio Pochettino is taking over a Man United side stuck in the bottom three, with a trip to Anfield waiting for him on his first weekend.
Pochettino inherits a Man United side in the bottom three
United confirmed his appointment on Friday, with Michael Carrick losing his job the day prior after one win in 10 Premier League games, and his last afternoon at Old Trafford summed up the task facing Pochettino.
It took goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu in stoppage time to salvage a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, and United went into the break in 18th with eight points.
Pochettino will finish his spell with the United States against Haiti before taking over on Wednesday, and the transfer talk is already well under way.
In fact, United have reportedly been tracking Nico Paz, even before the Como midfielder put two past them in the Champions League last month.
By Friday afternoon, with the appointment confirmed, talkSPORT’s Gabby Agbonlahor was talking up Paz as a possible successor to Bruno Fernandes.
That is a big job to put in front of a player who only turned 22 in September.
Pochettino wants Nico Paz to lead his Man United rebuild
Reports from the Spanish media claim that Pochettino personally wants United to sign Paz in 2027 and sees the Argentina international as the player to get his rebuild moving.
The Sun’s report points to a possible move next summer, which is also when Real Madrid have a decision to make about their former player.
Paz left Madrid for Como in 2024 and asked to stay in Italy when his old club had the chance to bring him back this summer. The clubs struck a deal in June that gave him another season under Cesc Fàbregas and left Madrid with a buyback option for 27/28.
AS and Sky Italia put that option at around £67m, but it is rumoured that any other club may even have to pay up to £125 million for Paz’s signature.
|
Nico Paz’s Como this season |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Appearances |
Minutes played |
Goals |
Assists |
Goals + assists |
|
Serie A |
10 |
824 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
|
Champions League |
4 |
318 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
Total |
14 |
1,142 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
For all the talk about who gets him next, Como are getting a fair return on the money they spent to keep him. Paz has six goals and eight assists in 14 games this season, with five of those assists coming in four Champions League appearances.
Nico Paz has the quality to start for Man United
Paz’s second goal against United showed why he would appeal to Pochettino.
He nicked the ball off Carlos Baleba out wide, took off and tucked his shot inside the far post. Pochettino’s Tottenham sides could do a lot of damage in the seconds after they won the ball back, and Paz showed he can be the one who wins it and finishes the move.
His pass to send Tasos Douvikas clear for Como’s second also tells you how United could use him.
A fit Benjamin Šeško would give Paz a runner to pick out as soon as he turns, and the 12 goals Paz scored in Serie A last season are a warning to any defender tempted to back off and cover the pass.
Where that leaves Fernandes is the awkward part.
Sky Sports says the captain has turned down a second contract offer, though United can still extend his deal by a year. Pochettino could play Fernandes deeper in games United expect to control, with Paz behind the striker.
That pairing would need a midfielder who can cover ground when both push forward, but at the price Como are likely to want, United should still be wary of buying Paz.
