Why isn’t Mauricio Pochettino coaching the USMNT against Canada?

An exciting new era looks set to begin for the USMNT, with former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino having been all but confirmed as the team’s new head coach following the departure of Greg Berhalter.

Why hasn’t Pochettino been appointed as USMNT coach yet?

U.S. Soccer officials had been due to travel to Barcelona on Friday to finalise an agreement with the Argentine, which would have seen him officially confirmed as the new USMNT chief.

However, Fox Sports reported the trip was cancelled at the 11th hour, citing U.S. Soccer’s inability to come to an agreement with Chelsea over payments due to Pochettino following his departure from the Premier League club in the summer.

As a result, the 52-year-old will not take charge of the United States as they take on Canada at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City on Saturday, September 7 (kickoff at 4pm ET), or against New Zealand at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Tuesday, September 10 (kickoff at 7pm ET).

ESPN had initially claimed the 52-year-old would be in place before then, but interim coach Mikey Varas will instead take the team for this month’s two friendlies.

When will Pochettino take over as USMNT coach for the first time?

Despite the delay, there doesn’t appear to be any danger of the deal falling through.

Fox sources say Pochettino’s contract will be signed “in the next 48 hours” and that he is expected to lead the U.S. for the first time in October friendlies against Panama in Austin and Mexico at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara.

Pochettino has managed Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, PSG and Chelsea in his 15-year managerial career, winning Ligue 1, the Coupe de France (French Cup) and Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup) during his time in Paris. He led Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, which they lost to Liverpool.