The coach who energized U.S. soccer at the World Cup is on the verge of leaving for a job in England

Mauricio Pochettino had the United States on a roll at the World Cup. The Americans plowed into the knockout stages withfun and furious socceras rapturous crowds shook the stadiums with "Take Me Home, Country Roads" sing-alongs in front of record television audiences.

And Pochettino, a former Argentina player who had coached in some of Europe's biggest leagues, was in the middle of it all, encouraging and embracing the passion building behind the team in a big country with limited soccer success. The connection between coach and country looked so bright that even when the U.

exited in another round of 16 defeat, Pochettino signed afour-year extensionto lead a group of rising and talented players through the 2030 World Cup. It may be time to start over.

Pochettino on Thursday wasclosing in on a dealto be the manager of Manchester United in England's Premier League. The news came two days before the U.

was set to open CONCACAF Nations League play Saturday against Haiti. "I can't thank him enough regardless of if he's coach or not the coach," U.

"He's meant so much to me. He's helped me develop as a player and as a person.

As a player that's all I can ask for, to have that trust and belief." Argentine coach led an American resurgence Pochettino had never coached a national team before taking over the U. He was best known for his European club stints with Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

A move to Manchester United would put him in charge of one of the biggest clubs in the biggest league in the world. United has won 20 English league titles, tied for the most in history, but the last one was 2013 and the club is currently in 18th out of 20 in the standings.

If the season ended today, Manchester United would be relegated to a lower division.