Five Bold Managerial Candidates Who Could Step Up and Transform Man Utd After Carrick's Exit

Michael Carrick has so far managed to laugh off the speculation surrounding his Manchester United future, but there's no ignoring the intense scrutiny the Red Devils manager currently faces.

Previously, things had been nothing but positive for the former United midfielder on the Old Trafford touchline, with his outstanding work as interim boss during the second half of last season persuading INEOS that he was the right person to take the club forward.

But this is no ordinary job, and it doesn't take much for the narrative to change. A hero in May, doubt has begun to creep in following a difficult start to the season, with the stability Carrick had built upon his return in January seemingly unraveling.

The Red Devils appear to be perpetually just a handful of games away from a full-blown crisis, and there's little question that the pressure on Carrick will intensify if his side's inconsistency persists after the international break, particularly with Tottenham Hotspur due at the Theatre of Dreams on Oct. 10.

So, while there's no concrete indication that Carrick's position is under immediate threat, there remains a very real chance the club could feel compelled to act if results don't improve.

Here are five managers INEOS could pursue should they consider another change in the dugout.

Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe is hovering in the background like a spare car on a Top Gear challenge. The Englishman left Newcastle United in the summer, feeling he lacked the necessary energy to oversee a rebuild of the Magpies following their summer exodus.

Howe's achievements on Tyneside were considerable, steering Newcastle — with the backing of Saudi investment — away from relegation trouble and back into European competition. The club competed in the Champions League twice under his watch and secured its first major trophy in 56 years with the League Cup in 2025.

Howe is a Newcastle legend, and his track record at St. James' Park, along with Bournemouth's remarkable rise, suggests he should at least be of interest to a club of United's stature.

Howe is unlikely to generate widespread excitement, and fans will inevitably question whether the 48-year-old can handle the unparalleled demands of managing at Old Trafford. As significant as Newcastle are, the Red Devils operate on an entirely different level.

Julian Nagelsmann

Once a cult favorite among football purists, Julian Nagelsmann's reputation has faded in recent years.

Nagelsmann was once among soccer's most coveted coaching talents, transforming Hoffenheim and later leading RB Leipzig to the Champions League semifinals in 2020.

The German's approach was electrifying, with his emphasis on central combinations drawing the best out of playmakers and producing some breathtaking passages of possession play. However, since stepping up to bigger roles, the intensely driven Nagelsmann has found things more difficult.

His man-management was called into question at Bayern Munich, and while his tenure with the German national team began promisingly, it ended in catastrophe at the 2026 World Cup.

The 39-year-old can still capture the imagination of tactical enthusiasts, but most would question whether he's truly equipped to lead Man Utd successfully. His existing connection with Christopher Vivell, director of recruitment at Old Trafford, means the German will almost certainly be considered if the club looks for a Carrick successor.

Fabian Hürzeler

Fabian Hürzeler is very much the name on everyone's lips heading into the first international break of 2026–27.
The German is now into his third season in charge of Brighton & Hove Albion, having guided the Seagulls into the Conference League thanks to an eighth-place Premier League finish last campaign.

However, a commanding 3–0 win over champions Arsenal has thrust Hürzeler into the spotlight more than ever. He appeared on talkSPORT to break down how he engineered such a dominant victory over what seemed an unstoppable side, and his team have also inspired a wave of analytical pieces on the evolution of man-to-man pressing.

Those who have moved on from Nagelsmann are turning their attention to Hürzeler, and the young German is undeniably an articulate communicator who backs his words up with results on the pitch.

Stay on this trajectory, and there's little doubt the former St. Pauli boss will soon find himself linked with the most prestigious managerial positions in the game.

Unai Emery

Few things in football excite Unai Emery quite like a rebuilding project, and the Spaniard has a significant task ahead of him at Aston Villa.

Emery has navigated this before, taking over a squad that had lost all confidence under Steven Gerrard's 11-month reign and quickly restoring their belief. The squad that brought the Villans back to the Champions League and delivered Europa League glory at the end of last season has been largely dismantled, with six players from the Freiburg lineup in May departing over the summer.

Their core was stripped away, though largely replaced with capable alternatives. Villa had struggled through the opening month of the season before a 3–2 victory at Tottenham Hotspur, aided by new signings Nicolas Jackson and Johan Manzambi, got things moving.

Some wondered whether Emery had the appetite for a second rebuild at Villa Park, but unlike Howe at Newcastle, the Spaniard appears to be embracing the challenge.

The connections to Manchester United have remained vague at best, and it would take considerable persuasion to lure the 54-year-old away from the West Midlands anytime soon.

Cesc Fábregas

Cesc Fábregas and the Como hierarchy are almost uncannily in sync. The level of cohesion throughout the club is genuinely rare, and goes a long way to explaining why the ambitious Italian outfit have climbed to such impressive heights in such a short period.

Fábregas may well be the next great manager in the making — if he isn't already.

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder commands authority in the room and is tactically ahead of his peers. He appears to have a sharp understanding of where the game is heading, and why wouldn't he? His playing career saw him work under the likes of Arsène Wenger, Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Fábregas's achievements at Como are sure to attract significant interest, but why would he ever want to walk away from his current ideal situation? He turned United down during his playing days, choosing Barcelona in 2013 before moving to Chelsea a year later, and he would almost certainly pass on the poisoned chalice once more.