According to most sources, Michael Carrick maintains the support of Manchester United and their hierarchy, with the fanbase largely split on their recent displays this season and whether Carrick is not the right man for the job, or is he lacking in support from the aforementioned higher-ups.

While I personally think this season Carrick should be trusted to see things through, the board at United have sacked managers mid-campaign in both of the last 2 seasons with Ten Hag and Amorim departing midway through a campaign. With the results not going United’s way this season, seemingly some discontent in the camp and an upcoming international break in November where huge pressure could be piled on the decision, it’s make or break time for Carrick.

Although it feels the wrong decision right now, this post is looking at the 5 most likely options on the market who could come into Manchester United and take their chance as they spin the United wheel once again looking for someone to bring long-term success. Some of these are certainly not long-term options, while others could take some convincing, but these feel like the most likely options of anyone if a change is made before the end of 2026.

As always, if you have any thoughts or opinions on Manchester United’s season in general, get in touch with us on our social media platforms, Bluesky (@NextGoalWinner), Instagram (@NextGoalWin) and our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner).

*Post written prior to the mid-week Champions League game vs Como.

Antonio Conte

There’s only one manager who has set out their campaign for the job so far in Antonio Conte, who is rumoured to have sent representatives to Manchester in the preparation for Carrick to leave and being ready to take over. Conte is also the only option on this list of managers who I could see being the ‘short-term’ approach if United need someone with pedigree to come in for a few months but probably not into the next season and beyond.

One of the huge positives for Conte is that this squad could quickly adapt to his ideas, with his preference for a back-3 being something this squad are used to under Amorim, but he is flexible enough to know when this isn’t suitable and so the current crop of players would probably adjust easily to any approach he would choose to take in the role.

Conte has huge experience across his career, with success at Chelsea and a slightly underwhelming stint at Tottenham (but who hasn’t these days), and his recent time at Napoli was largely successful. However, despite this impressive CV, the move for Conte will be likely dismissed by the hierarchy who clearly want managers unwilling to speak out against them, who are happy to play head coach while they make big decisions and Antonio Conte is not the manager to do a lot of this.

While he would steady the ship, he would lay down the law on any underperforming players and he could spark this team into life, within a year he would more than likely be sent on his way for his out-spoken nature with a nice big payoff, making this the wrong choice.

Personally, I think some players could do with a bit of Conte treatment, but ultimately in an already uncertain camp, this move would stink of short-term thinking, no real direction and yet more chaos.

Eddie Howe

Arguably the option fans would like the least is Eddie Howe, who left his long-term stint at Newcastle this summer and seems destined for either another long-term mid-table project or ultimately the England job post-Tuchel. With Howe and Tindall available, it’s a move that I could see happening, as he’s known to be a long-term project manager, can build a decent side and has a Premier League proven record which United have looked for in their recent signings, so why not in their managerial appointment.

However, fans would not take to this move well, as Eddie Howe is not of the personality or stature to meet the high standards fans look for in their managerial appointments. If you look at the likes of Van Gaal, Mourinho and even Ten Hag and Amorim, Eddie Howe doesn’t match these managers in terms of his charisma and feeling of control. It could easily be seen as a mid-table appointment, as you can’t ultimately imagine anyone of the likes of City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea etc looking at Howe as their next appointment.

Another concern with Howe would be over his desire for control also. While he hasn’t ever reached the levels of Conte in speaking out on what he wants, he did make his feelings clear at points with the Newcastle setup, and wanted to be involved in most big decisions according to reports. While Manchester United need to have some joined-up thinking between board and manager, I can imagine this could lead to some conflicts similar to that seen with Ten Hag and Amorim in the INEOS years.

Ultimately, I hope this one doesn’t happen, as it just doesn’t feel like the best fit. Eddie Howe feels like the next manager for a team like Everton, Crystal Palace or even England, and while that might be based a lot on the vibe and feeling of the appointment, he doesn’t seem like a fit for the club in this huge pressurised environment.

Julian Nagelsmann

A name linked this summer and now available is Julian Nagelsmann, whose links were largely brushed aside due to the World Cup, but after this summer where he departed the national team setup, he could again become linked with the United job. As he’s on the market and most likely ready to return to club football management, he has some solid jobs on his CV including the Bayern stint in which he did well but failed to earn European success and struggled against the incredible Leverkusen season, and his time at RB Leipzig which largely put him on the map for most fans outside of Germany.

In terms of positives for Nagelsmann, he’s a still very young manager at 39 years of age, perfect for a long stint at a club where he could fit perfectly into the hierarchy. He’s managed at clubs like Leipzig who operate a very rigid structure, and also Bayern Munich where expectations are as high as any other club. Along with his time as Germany manager, it feels like these experiences could blend nicely for a job like Manchester United where the pressure is high and the role of head coach fits in alongside the directors. Additionally, he has history with Christopher Vivell from his time at Leipzig.

In the negative column for Nagelsmann, his recent years have seen little/no success. With Germany, he led them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, 4th place in the Nations League and then the round of 32 in the 2026 World Cup, largely underperforming on the expectations of the national team despite their squad being a relatively mixed bag. When you add in how his time at Bayern ended as Leverkusen dominated all competitions, his reputation has taken a bit of a hit in recent years and could mean he is given less time from the media and fanbase with a lesser reputation to fall back on.

Fabian Hürzeler

The latest name being heavily linked is current Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler, who has had an incredible start to the season as Brighton sit in 3rd as the leagues top scoring side. While Hürzeler is the ‘in-form’ name at the moment, his appointment could also make a lot of sense for United. At only 33 years of age, his career has sky-rocketed and since he arrived at Brighton he’s been consistent in their performances and leading them into Europe for this season.

In his positive categories, his age is a huge bonus as you have a manager still eager to learn and prove himself, knowing that this job could be his for 5-10 years is realistic while he also could take the job knowing any failure won’t have long-term damage on his career. Additionally, his years at Brighton would be exactly what United’s higher-ups are looking for as they have a very set structure in their recruitment and long-term thinking, which United are seemingly keen to emulate as they have their own directors set up even if they have underwhelmed so far. Being happy to come in as ‘head coach’ instead of ‘manager’ would be a huge plus for the board at United. Finally, his approach and demands from his squads could be something United appreciate. With a huge effort on running, energy, pressure and attacking play, he has proven in the League Cup win over United exactly what they are currently missing.

Reasons not to go for Hürzeler are simply that it will be tough to orchestrate a move mid-season for the manager, as his start to the season means Brighton could be looking at Champions League qualification as a real target, and so the club would demand some huge compensation on this, while it may also be tough for the manager to make this switch mid-season and be expected to operate immediately at United. In a similar appointment to the Amorim move, Hürzeler feels like the person you’d look to appoint in the summer when he gets time to build a squad, work with his players and prepare properly, rather than him jumping ship after their strong start.

Cesc Fàbregas

Finally, one of the most ‘outsider names’ being touted is current Como manager Cesc Fàbregas. While this may well be down to the clash this week with United, but Cesc is being speculated as one of the next top elite coaches in football. His work at Como has proven to be hugely successful as he led them to the Champions League, and while they have huge backing and investment, he’s proven to be using this wisely and bringing results on the pitch, which surely would appeal to most elite sides around Europe.

In Fàbregas’ favour, again you have an exciting unknown appointment for the Premier League but someone who has a huge pedigree and could demand instant success from players, as it feels like this current group respect the former pros at a high level. Additionally, Fàbregas is probably considering his next moves in management while his stock is high, and given that his former clubs of Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea look set for the next 3+ years, it’s unlikely he will get in anywhere there soon unless Hansi Flick calls time after this season with Barcelona, but that is highly unlikely given the project there. Manchester United are one of the only elite landing spots for a manager like this, and the temptation to try and become the manager to turn things around could tempt someone like Fàbregas. Additionally, all the previously mentioned positives apply here such as being a young manager, and knowing any failure in this move will have little long-term impact on his career makes this almost a free hit at one of the biggest jobs in football.

On the negatives side, Fàbregas would again be a really tough appointment mid-season, and probably makes this deal impossible to navigate while they remain in the position they are in the Champions League and Serie A standings. Additionally, their owners could make the financial side of any appointment a little tricky as they have money available to keep their manager. An additional point on Fàbregas is the history between him and United. While Manchester United have been linked with former rival players, Fàbregas almost feels like a move that the history could play too much of a factor in not allowing the move to take place, and he could be more likely to wait for the Barcelona job to emerge.