But Pochettino's likely appointment is not without risk. His brief tenures at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were less successful.
With a reputation for developing youth and inspiring players and fans to buy into his brand of high-intensity football, Mauricio Pochettino appears on the cusp of taking the reins at troubled Premier League giants Manchester United.
In a move expected to end Pochettino's two-year tenure as USA coach, the Argentine reportedly reached a verbal agreement Wednesday to replace Michael Carrick following United's worst start to a season in 40 years.
United, who have cycled through 11 managers (including caretakers) and failed to win a single league title since Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement, are desperately in need of a leader who can bring identity, stability and belief to an expensive-but-fragmented squad, and their disillusioned fans.
So the appeal of an inspirational coach who had his Southampton squad walk barefoot across hot coals, took Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final, and inspired a nation to believe the US could beat anyone at last summer's World Cup on home soil, is not hard to spot.
Pochettino spoke often before the World Cup of his desire to transform "expectation into energy", and "create amazing energy between the fans and us."
