Unai Emery and Julian Nagelsmann have emerged as leading targets to replace Michael Carrick as Manchester United’s manager should the board decide on a change after the club’s poorest start to the season since 1986.
Carrick is expected to remain in place for Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth – he is due to hold his pre-game media conference on Friday – but the 45-year-old’s job is in the balance after two wins from 11 games this season.
Wednesday’s 4-1 humiliation at Como in the Champions League has focused attention at United on a potential candidate to succeed Carrick should he be removed. Emery and Nagelsmann have admirers at board level.
Emery is contracted to Aston Villa until 2029, and Nagelsmann is unemployed after leaving his position as Germany’s manager in the wake of the team’s last-32 World Cup exit in the summer.
Emery has impressed since taking over Villa in 2022, last season winning the Europa League, the club’s first trophy since 1996, and finishing fourth, one place behind United.
But Emery earns between £10m and £12m a year, so the compensation package United would have to pay Villa may be a stumbling block. He has also won trophies with Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal and had a less successful spell with Arsenal.
Nagelsmann has managed Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, with whom he won the Bundesliga in 2022 before being sacked in March 2023. He is highly regarded by United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell.
The 39-year-old Nagelsmann guided Germany to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by the eventual winners, Spain. It is understood Nagelsmann would be interested in an approach from United.
Other potential candidates who may be considered include Antonio Conte, Eddie Howe and Kieran McKenna. They are out of work after leaving jobs with Napoli, Newcastle and Ipswich respectively. It is understood Fabian Hürzeler is not open to leaving Brighton at this stage.
