Man United next manager: Michael Carrick update emerges after ‘complicated’ twist
Michael Carrick has placed himself in a strong position to become the next permanent Man United manager despite initial plans for him to leave the club.
The search for a new manager remains ongoing with a number of high profile names on their radar, although a decision will not be made until the end of the season.
However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, the Red Devils’ form under the interim boss has “complicated” their managerial search.
In his six games as interim manager, Carrick has led his Man United side to five wins and one draw and has seen his side keep three clean sheets in that time.
Those performances have made him a leading contender for the role, despite initial plans to bring in a big-name manager as part of their ambitious plans.
Michael Carrick leads Man United manager race
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Carrick is increasingly likely to land the job, but the decision will not be made until the end of the season.
Following a 1-0 win against Everton, they have leapfrogged Chelsea into fourth place in the Premier League table, and cut the gap to Aston Villa to just three points.
Should Carrick continue his strong and lead United into the top four, even the top three come the end of the season, he will be in a very strong position.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Man United are looking for a top, elite manager to come into the club this summer.
“But their hunt for a new manager just gets more more complicated by the week because of the success of Michael Carrick.
“If Carrick continues this brilliant run of form, gets United in the top four, top three, Champions League football, there’s going to be a swell for him to get the job on a permanent basis.
“So it will be interesting to see how the season pans out from now. Man United are going really well under Carrick and you’d probably say he right now is in the driving seat.”
Where does Oliver Glasner rank on Man United’s list?
Among the names United have considered to become their next manager, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been most heavily discussed in recent weeks.
The boss has proven to be very outspoken at Crystal Palace, leading to suggestions he could even be sacked before he walks away at the end of the season.
However, Football Insider revealed on 27 February that Glasner is not high on Man United’s shortlist and is unlikely to land the position this summer.
More high-profile names than the Austrian are being considered, the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique, despite his proven success in English football with Palace.
Alongside names like Nagelsmann and Enrique, they are also eyeing the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Carlo Ancelotti, with their decision still very much up in the air.
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