Man Utd add two new managers to Michael Carrick replacement list hours before Aston Villa game
Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have been widely touted as beleaguered Manchester United manager Michael Carrick’s likely successor, but now a pair of new names have entered the frame.
Old Trafford has seen one of the worst season starts in the team’s history this year, forcing rumours of a change in management.
After several more obvious candidates were suggested by fans and pundits, two new faces are in the mix, with a game at Villa Park looming tomorrow.
Manchester United consider more manager options in place of Michael Carrick
Taking seven points from their first eight games, Manchester United have suffered their worst start to a season since 1986-1987, after which Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed.
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A rousing 3-2 Champions League comeback win over Roma went some way to lifting the mood at Old Trafford and, given the managerial churn at the club, there appears little appetite to move United legend Carrick on and start again.
With the international break coming up after the Villa game though, this next match looks crucial for Carrick, and will give food for thought to the club’s director of football Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada - and the pair are apparently looking for a different approach to recruitment, says a report from the i.
“Just after Erik ten Hag had masterminded one of United’s greatest recent achievements - outplaying Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final - Sir Jim Ratcliffe was meeting Thomas Tuchel personally in Monaco,” it says.
“Thomas Frank, Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi and Kieran McKenna were all also contacted directly. All while Ten Hag was still employed and, rather incongruously, quite successful.
“Carrick has no such predicament.”
The new options in the mix for Manchester United job
With Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann both currently free agents, their names have been repeatedly linked, with the outspoken Antonio Conte a more outside choice.
Despite Carrick not being under quite so much pressure as Ten Hag previously, that hasn’t stopped two more names now being linked to United, with Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness and former France manager Didier Deschamps under consideration.
As reported by The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Hoeness plays a brand of attacking football attractive to United, as well as his ability to develop otherwise unfancied players.
In addition to the German, French outlet Foot Mercato wrote that Deschamps has been approached earlier this week by United as they consider their options.
As well as captaining France to successful campaigns at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, Deschamps managed the French national team to its 2018 World Cup win.
“I’m available, and everybody knows it. I won’t retire after the World Cup,” he said earlier this year.
Topics: Man Utd, Premier League
James Elson
