Ranking the Leading Candidates to Replace Michael Carrick at Man Utd

Once again, Manchester United are embarking on a managerial hunt.

Michael Carrick, who briefly served as the club’s interim manager in 2021, is set to be the latest man out at Old Trafford, despite being heralded by so many as the Red Devils’ savior during the second half of last season.

Those running the show felt compelled to offer Carrick the job full time, and he signed a two-year contract before Man Utd’s 3–0 victory at Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of the season. Oh, how utopian those times felt for Red Devils supporters.

The club has drifted back into an all-too-familiar cycle, with a wretched opening to 2026–27 following a summer in which Carrick was ultimately left short-handed. The departing manager is hardly blameless, but whomever is brought in to clean up the mess will have to navigate the same challenges that so many managers have succumbed to at the Theatre of Dreams over the past decade or so.

Despite their plight, Man Utd still boast the necessary allure and prestige to attract any bright mind to the Old Trafford touchline, and a litany of high-profile figures have been linked to the job.

5. Unai Emery

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa looked set to end Michael Carrick’s tenure on a crushingly bleak note, only for the Villans to inexplicably relinquish 2–0 and 4–2 leads.

The Man Utd hierarchy regard Emery as one of their dream targets, but it’d take a mammoth effort to get the Spaniard out of the West Midlands. Before Villa made the trip to Manchester at the weekend, reports emerged regarding Emery’s desire to stay at Villa Park.

The Villans boss said that there have been talks to build a “stronger” project at the club, and a contract extension is reportedly imminent.

Emery, who hasn’t had another shot at the big time since leaving Arsenal in 2019, has worked wonders at Villa, converting a meandering Premier League club into one of the division’s best.

The appeal is obvious, but it doesn’t appear as if Emery fancies changing environments anytime soon.

4. Antonio Conte

If Manchester United want a guarantee of immediate success, no matter the players at their disposal, then Antonio Conte is the man.

Conte has a stellar track record in England and Italy, briefly revolutionizing the Premier League at Chelsea in 2016–17 and winning Scudetti with Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli.

Tottenham Hotspur also played some scintillating stuff at the start of his north London tenure, with the Italian guiding the Lilywhites back into the Champions League before things went awry in 2022–23 amid heightened expectations.

He’s abrasive and incredibly demanding, but Conte’s knack for winning is unique. He’s inevitable.

It’s the absolute best hire Man Utd could make in the short term, yet one Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will almost certainly opt against—even if he is on the market after leaving Napoli in the summer... on disturbingly amicable terms.

3. Julian Nagelsmann

Julian Nagelsmann was a hipster’s favorite for so long. ’Tacticos’ adored his work at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, reaching the Champions League semifinals with the latter.

But the big time hasn’t been so kind to the German, who seemingly has a knack for rubbing people up the wrong way. His spells at Bayern Munich and with the German national team provided bright sparks, yet ultimately underwhelmed.

In the summer, Nagelsmann guided Germany through one of their worst-ever World Cup campaigns, exiting the tournament at the hands of Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32.

His stock has taken a hit, but plenty remain smitten by Nagelsmann. He’ll at least supply Man Utd with a distinct tactical identity, and will have no choice but to improve the physical condition of this roster to ensure they’re capable of playing disciplined, high-octane soccer.

Still, there‘s a sense that the idea of Nagelsmann is better than the reality. The German should lie low for a little while longer and avoid the limelight before returning to the big stage.

2. Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe is not the exotic, glamorous choice likely to ignite a dopamine hike, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t right for Manchester United.

There are valid concerns, such as Howe’s scalability and his capacity to operate under remarkable scrutiny. Moreover, Howe has been successful at Bournemouth and Newcastle as a result of both clubs’ impressive alignment. He’d be walking into a circus at Old Trafford.

There’d be so much for Howe to overcome, yet the understated Englishman could prove to be the perfect tonic for the current disarray.

Howe’s unlikely to inspire revolution at the Theatre of Dreams. He is, however, a canny tactician who ensures his teams are a nightmare to play against. He’s enjoyed success in this uber-physical Premier League and deserves to take the next step in his career.

He may not offer a quick fix, but Man Utd would reap the rewards of Howe‘s stability and discernible tactical approach over time.

1. Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino has suddenly emerged as the favorite to succeed Carrick.

Man Utd have wanted the Argentine for more than a decade, tracking back to the manager‘s time at Spurs. They’ve had plenty of opportunities to pursue Poch, but were either rebuffed by the Lilywhites or were guilty of erroneously looking in another direction.

The 54-year-old seemingly committed to another tournament cycle with the USMNT by signing a contract extension in August, having been linked with a return to north London before the World Cup. He has long flirted with the idea of another Premier League stint after leading Chelsea through the 2023–24 season, and reports suggest he’d leave his current post to take the Man Utd job.

The contract he signed with the USMNT means it’d cost the Red Devils more than $10 million to buy him out, but it appears that’s a financial hit Man Utd are willing to take to get their man.

Pochettino may be arriving at the Theatre of Dreams years too late, and it is true that he hasn’t built a great team on English shores since 2017.

Still, the Argentine is a manager who empowers and maximizes potential. He trusts youth and will adopt an approach that Man Utd supporters can believe in.

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