Ciaran Morrison

Fri 13 March 2026 17:00, UK

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Manchester United supporters would be happy if the club chose to appoint Julian Nagelsmann over Michael Carrick as their next manager.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes Nagelsmann “may be a candidate” to become Man United’s next permanent manager.

Carrick is the favourite to get the job should Man United qualify for the Champions League this season, with the Red Devils currently third in the Premier League table.

The 44-year-old has only lost one game in interim charge of Man United, whilst Nagelsmann is currently manager of the German national team and may not be available until after the World Cup finishes.

Michael Carrick ‘the right choice’ for Man United

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe may not want to hire Carrick in order to “try something different.”

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Nagelsmann would be an “acceptable” choice as manager for the fanbase.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “You know, it’s funny, I’ve been saying all along that it’s Carrick’s to lose in the sense that if he gets Champions League, there’d be a rebellion from the fans if he didn’t get it.

“But Nagelsmann is one choice that I think would be acceptable. He is forward-thinking. And it does seem to me that Ratcliffe has got this desire to try and make an imprint of forward-thinking somehow, whether it’s right or wrong. 

“It seems that he’s stuck into doing it. So the reason that, you know, I still think Carrick would probably be the right choice, but I think Nagelsmann, purely because of the Ratcliffe’s desire to try and do something different and make his imprint on United, may be a candidate.” 

Michael Carrick latest at Man United

Former chief scout at Old Trafford Mick Brown told Football Insider that Carrick is edging closer to becoming Man United manager.

Brown believes it would take a drop off in results and performances for Carrick not to get the job following the remarkable work he has done so far.

Carrick is still ahead of any potential candidates for the permanent position, with the Red Devils on track to achieve Champions League qualification.