Manchester United are in pole position to secure Champions League qualification after a dramatic reversal in their performances and results since Michael Carrick replaced the fired Ruben Amorim as coach in January.
United have climbed to third position in the Premier League after taking 19 points from a possible 24 since Carrick took charge, and they face fourth-place Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday knowing that a win will hand them a major boost in their pursuit of a top-five finish.
But despite the upturn in fortunes since Carrick’s arrival, uncertainty remains over the 44-year-old’s future beyond the end of his contract in May. United have yet to decide on who will manage the club permanently — Carrick is among several options — and moves are also happening behind the scenes to ensure that the club secures its priority transfer candidates this summer, regardless of who is appointed as head coach.
So what is happening with Carrick and United’s recruitment plans? ESPN has spoken to several sources to find out.
Will Carrick get the job permanently?
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There is no question that Carrick has impressed the United hierarchy since stepping into the head coach role on Jan 13.
The former United midfielder started with two unexpected wins against title challengers Manchester City and Arsenal, and the team has sustained that impressive form, losing for the first time under Carrick in last week’s, last-minute 2-1 defeat at Newcastle.
But Carrick has made a significant impact off the pitch, too. Sources tell ESPN that he’s has earned admiration within the United hierarchy for his calm and measured approach when dealing with the media and proving that the pressure of the job is not all-consuming, as Amorim and his predecessor Erik ten Hag at times suggested. However, ESPN sources have said that there is no rush internally to hand Carrick the job full time. Issues relating to recruitment, and whether potential incoming players need to know who they will be playing for next season, are not regarded as key elements of the hiring process.
Carrick was hired to buy United time by restoring a sense of stability, and he has exceeded that remit, but there is an acceptance within the club that the positive start could fade and therefore a thorough recruitment process must be undertaken.
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On Carrick’s part, the former Middlesbrough coach has had interest from EFL Championship and Premier League clubs in recent months, but until United came calling, he was prepared to take a lengthy break from management. However, his work at United has raised his profile significantly, and sources have told ESPN he will not be short of offers should he fail to land the Old Trafford job.
If not Carrick, who are Man United considering?
Thomas Tuchel’s decision to extend his contract as England manager, and an expectation that Carlo Ancelotti will do the same with Brazil, have had a significant impact on United’s list of coaches, sources have told ESPN.
Tuchel came close to taking the United job during the uncertainty surrounding Ten Hag’s future at the end of the 2023-24 season — Ten Hag was fired early into the following season just months after extending his contract — but neither United nor Tuchel believed the timing was right.
United’s ideal hire would be a coach who has won either the Premier League, Champions League or both, and Tuchel and Ancelotti would meet that criteria.
ESPN sources have said that there is also a requirement for a coach with elite tactical acumen — again something Tuchel and Ancelotti would deliver — and that is a box that Carrick has yet to tick, even though the appointment of first-team coach Steve Holland has had a significant and rapid impact on United’s organisation. But with Tuchel and Ancelotti out of the race, there are no credible candidates who can meet the primary criteria of winning the biggest trophies.
The next group of candidates include Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner, former Brighton and Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann.
Sources have said that USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino is not regarded as an option, with senior United figures expecting him to return to Tottenham Hotspur when his contract with the United States Soccer Federation runs out after the World Cup.
Although Emery, Iraola, Glasner, De Zerbi and Nagelsmann are all proven coaches, and perhaps all have greater tactical credentials at the highest level than Carrick has displayed, only Emery would likely be regarded by the United supporters as being an upgrade. But ESPN sources have said that Emery’s “old-school” requirement for control over all areas of the football department, including player recruitment, would not fit comfortably within United’s structure — which also includes director of football Jason Wilcox, director of recruitment Christopher Vivell and CEO Omar Berrada — and their collective approach to decision making.
Away from the manager search, what are Man United’s transfer plans?
Sources have told ESPN that United are heading into the summer window with a clear requirement for two midfielders and a left winger. There might be additional signings beyond that priority list, including a backup goalkeeper, but there is a determination to deal with the long-standing issue in midfield and add variety in wide areas.
The decision not to offer Casemiro a new contract when his existing deal expires this summer was no surprise, but there is an acceptance within the club that the 34-year-old’s exit will leave a significant hole in terms of the former Real Madrid player’s experience but also his ability to score important goals. Casemiro has scored six Premier League goals already this season.
Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is United’s top target, and despite strong competition from Manchester City, ESPN sources have said there is still a belief within Old Trafford that the 23-year-old could be tempted to move to United.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is another possibility, alongside Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, and United are also scouring the European market for alternative options.
ESPN sources have said that Newcastle midfielders Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães would both be of interest if they were to become available, but there is an acceptance at Old Trafford that Newcastle would make it almost impossible to negotiate a sensible financial deal for either player. (Last summer’s stand-off with Liverpool and Alexander Isak was cited as a recent example of their tough negotiation style.)
Carrick’s success in revitalising the United career of Kobbie Mainoo, who was continually overlooked by Amorim, has taken away the threat of the 20-year-old leaving the club this summer, but the England midfielder has yet to negotiate a new contract. His existing deal expires in 2027, but United have the option to extend for an additional 12 months.
But there is a confidence that a midfield of Mainoo and two new additions, supported by the ability of several players within the squad, including Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, to play in a variety of roles will give United the strength and depth required to compete at the highest level, especially if they return to the Champions League.
The pursuit of a left winger would seem a surprise considering Patrick Dorgu’s impressive form under Carrick before suffering a hamstring injury, but ESPN sources have said that United want further options out wide. Attempts were made to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth to fill that requirement in January, but sources have said that United were simply unable, and unwilling, to compete with the salary offered to the 26-year-old by Manchester City.
Will there be another summer clear-out at Man United?
More than two years after taking charge of football operations at United from the Glazer family, the club’s majority owners, minority shareholders INEOS are still attempting to repair the damage of several disastrous transfer windows in which the club overspent on subpar players — several of whom remain at the club on high wages. United still owe £422 million in outstanding transfer payments, and £238 million of that figure is due to be repaid by the end of next season, but they are unlikely to recoup their outlay on players, including Rasmus Højlund (signed for £64 million), Joshua Zirkzee (£36.5 million), Manuel Ugarte (£50.5 million), André Onana (£43.8 million) and Mason Mount (£55 million).
United will listen to offers for all — Hojlund and Onana are on loan at Napoli and Trabzonspor, respectively, this season — while sources have said there is confidence that Marcus Rashford will find a new team this summer, even if Barcelona opt against completing a deal at a pre-agreed fee of £26 million at the end of his seasonlong loan at Camp Nou.
Jadon Sancho’s disastrous United career — the former England winger arrived in a £73 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund in 2021 — will come to an end this summer when his contract expires, saving United £300,000 a week in wages, while defender Tyrell Malacia will also depart as a free agent.
The future of Harry Maguire remains unresolved. The 33-year-old, who became the world’s most expensive player when he signed from Leicester City for £80 million in 2019, is out of contract this summer, but he has played an important role when fit this season, anchoring the defense, mentoring the squad’s younger players and serving as a genuine threat from set pieces.
ESPN sources have said that a new deal might yet be offered by United, but on reduced wages and potentially only for an additional 12 months. Although Maguire’s experience is valued by United, ESPN sources have said that the England defender will likely be offered a longer deal and better financial package elsewhere, so any decision on his future could come down to whether the player wants to remain at United or seek greater financial security at another club.
What other issues might need fixing?
The future of captain Bruno Fernandes could become an issue this summer due to the Portugal international’s contract expiring at the end of next season. United have the option of extending the 31-year-old’s deal by a further 12 months, but Fernandes negotiated a release clause in his contract which allows him to leave if a club offers £57 million to United.
United and Fernandes have a big decision on his future at the end of the season. From the club’s perspective, this summer offers United the final chance to secure a significant fee for Fernandes, while the player — who will be 32 years old in September — might also regard it as his last opportunity to cash in by negotiating a lucrative contract elsewhere, most likely the Saudi Pro League. But if United return to the Champions League under Carrick, Fernandes might be tempted to see out his contract at Old Trafford.
Right now, it is an issue that is quietly bubbling away in the background, but it could yet become a big storyline this summer.
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