Pep Guardiola may be preparing for a new challenge, but this time it could take him far beyond club football. With Mauricio Pochettino leaving the USMNT for Manchester United, U.S. Soccer has reportedly identified the former Manchester City manager as its leading target. Yet, while the prospect has generated plenty of excitement, not everyone believes the Spaniard is the right man for the job.

According to The Athletic, U.S. Soccer is expected to make Guardiola a top priority in its search for Pochettino’s successor. The federation has already discussed his name internally, and talkSPORT reports that the two parties could hold an initial meeting next week. Guardiola is reportedly open to hearing the proposal, although no agreement is close and the discussions remain at an exploratory stage.

The timing gives the federation an opportunity to approach a manager who is currently enjoying a break from the touchline. Guardiola left Manchester City this summer after a hugely successful decade in England. Meanwhile, Pochettino will remain in charge for the USMNT’s two Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti on November 14 and 17 before beginning his Manchester United tenure.

The possibility of Guardiola taking charge of the United States is not entirely new. U.S. Soccer has considered the Spaniard during previous coaching searches, including the process that eventually brought Pochettino to the national team in 2024. The federation also contacted him and Jurgen Klopp during that search, while former president Sunil Gulati has maintained a good relationship with the coach.

Guardiola has never managed an international team, despite previous links with England, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. He turned down the Italy opportunity earlier this year, with (former) federation president Giovanni Malago explaining that the coach had taken time away from football partly for family reasons.

However, the United States has remained an intriguing possibility for him. Guardiola spent a year living in New York after leaving Barcelona in 2012, and he has previously spoken warmly about the country’s footballing potential.

“The USA is fascinating to try to build a project for many years and being able to get the national team to the next step,” Guardiola said in 2024. “The potential with the USA is there for the amount of people and sports and so on.”

His record explains why U.S. Soccer would be willing to make such an ambitious approach. Guardiola won three Champions League titles, six Premier League crowns, three La Liga titles, and three Bundesliga trophies across spells with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City. He also guided City to their first Champions League triumph and collected several domestic cups in England.

Landing him, though, will be no simple task. Guardiola has shown little urgency to return to management, and the demands of international football would be different from the daily rhythm of a club. U.S. Soccer has time to explore its options, with Steve Cherundolo set to lead the December camp before the senior team’s next competitive fixtures in March. Roberto Martinez has also reportedly emerged as another name under consideration.

Tim Howard and Landon Donovan question Pep Guardiola’s fit

While Guardiola’s résumé makes him an attractive candidate, two former USMNT stars have urged the federation to look beyond his trophy cabinet. Tim Howard and Landon Donovan discussed the possibility on their Unfiltered Soccer podcast, and neither appeared convinced that the former City boss would suit the American squad.

Howard was particularly blunt about the appointment. He argued that Guardiola has built his success around elite players and questioned whether the Spaniard could produce the same results with a less experienced group. “He’s absolutely not the right manager for this team, for the length of time it’s going to take through to the next World Cup,” Howard said.

“Pep Guardiola has only ever succeeded with tier 1 players. We have probably tier 3 players, probably. Pep Guardiola, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, with more money than they should have, has succeeded.”

The former goalkeeper also questioned whether Guardiola’s methods would translate to the international stage, where coaches have limited time to work with their players. He even recalled speaking to a Manchester City captain about the manager’s demanding approach, claiming that some players had struggled under the intensity.

“I spoke to the captain of Manchester City and he told me, ‘Tim, every day you’re with him, you have no idea how demanding he is,'” Howard added. “Pep Guardiola has crushed players that would walk into our national team and be the best player by 3,000 miles.”

Donovan shared his co-host’s reservations, even while acknowledging Guardiola’s extraordinary achievements. The former USMNT captain wondered whether the Spaniard could make the most of younger players and adapt to the limited preparation time that comes with international management.

“Pep is a phenomenal manager, but this would not be right for the U.S. team,” Donovan said. “Would he be good for our 18-year-old players? I don’t know. We have good players, but he has worked with the best.”

For Donovan, the challenge goes beyond installing a playing style. A national team coach must manage a group of players who spend most of their time with their clubs, leaving little opportunity to build tactical familiarity.

With Pochettino now heading to Old Trafford, U.S. Soccer faces an important decision about the direction of its next cycle. Guardiola would bring an extraordinary pedigree, but Howard and Donovan’s concerns highlight the question behind the headline-grabbing possibility: whether the right name on paper would actually be the right fit for the USMNT.