Man Utd Reveals Shocking Manager Strategy as Dream 'Top Target' Finally Surfaces
Manchester United's Premier League fixture against Burnley this Wednesday will be managed by Darren Fletcher, though reports suggest the club is actively pursuing a different temporary manager for the rest of the season before securing a permanent appointment prior to the 2026–27 season. Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner has emerged as the "primary candidate."
Fletcher enjoyed nearly fifteen years as a key midfielder at United, contributing to five Premier League championships along with victories in the FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup and Champions League. The ex-Scotland captain currently manages the club's Under-18 squad but has been called upon for this week's match after Ruben Amorim's sudden exit on Monday.
Nevertheless, Fletcher's caretaker role appears unlikely to extend much beyond the Turf Moor encounter.
Instead of appointing a permanent replacement for Amorim during the season—as they did when recruiting the Portuguese manager—the strategy involves first securing an interim caretaker for the remaining league matches while developing a comprehensive long-term plan," The Times initially revealed.
These reports were quickly corroborated by BBC Sport, who noted that Fletcher is not being considered for this temporary role. He may still need to manage Sunday's FA Cup third round match against Brighton & Hove Albion depending on how quickly a new appointment is made.
Potential Candidates for Man Utd's Interim Manager
This situation isn't unprecedented for United. Ralf Rangnick was appointed as early as December 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjær's disastrous conclusion and managed 29 matches across all competitions. The experiment proved unsuccessful; Rangnick's efforts to stabilize the team resulted in the poorest Premier League points-per-game record of any previous United manager—until Amorim's arrival, that is.
In urgent searches for interim managers, clubs typically rely on familiar faces and select someone who "understands" the organization. Michael Carrick has been mentioned as a suitable option in this context. Another former midfielder like Fletcher, Carrick possesses experience managing from the Old Trafford sideline after his three-match caretaker period in late 2021.
The former Middlesbrough manager is presently available and could stake a claim for the permanent position if he performs well.
Should United prefer a more experienced managerial figure who could be appointed immediately, Sir Gareth Southgate remains unemployed after concluding his England role and maintains strong connections with the INEOS leadership.
Oliver Glasner Emerges As Man Utd's 'Top Target'
Similar to when the Chelsea position became available, Crystal Palace's Glasner has been rapidly identified as a strong contender for United. The Telegraph goes as far as describing the Austrian manager as the "primary target" for the Red Devils. Given United's new approach focusing on summer appointments, securing Glasner could prove remarkably simple as his Palace contract expires in June.
The same applies to Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, though the Basque manager isn't considered as probable a signing as Marseille's controversial Roberto De Zerbi. The outspoken Italian was believed to be a United candidate in summer 2024—when they ultimately chose to continue with Erik ten Hag's brief tenure—only to reject the Red Devils for Marseille.
During one of his initial team meetings with his new squad, De Zerbi projected an image of United's contract offer via overhead display. "This is the deal they presented me, a multi-year contract, with the salary you can imagine," De Zerbi reportedly announced according to L'Équipe. "This is where I chose not to go, because I prioritized my passion over financial gain. I joined Marseille for passion."
Other previous candidates have re-emerged including Fulham's Marco Silva, Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna and Newcastle's Eddie Howe. Notably, United have also been connected with three international managers committed to this summer's World Cup; Julian Nagelsmann (Germany), Mauricio Pochettino (USMNT) and Thomas Tuchel (England).
While Nagelsmann remains contracted until Euro 2028, both former Chelsea managers Pochettino and Tuchel will be available after this summer's tournament. While Pochettino has publicly expressed desire for a Premier League comeback, the transfer framework that frustrated Amorim has frequently been a contentious issue for Tuchel in his previous club positions.