Luis Enrique is pretty much the only popular choice among Man Utd fans if the club moves on from Michael Carrick, but there’s a catch.
It took Michael Carrick just ten games at Man Utd to make himself the leading contender to get the permanent job at Old Trafford.
A shortlist that included the likes of Oliver Glasner, Marco Silva, Ando Iraola, and more looks completely pointless after Carrick’s miracles.
As a result, only the very elite coaches remain in contention, and Luis Enrique fits that billing perfectly. The boost for Carrick is that there’s a catch with him as well.
Michael Carrick celebrates during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at the Vitality Stadium in 2026 in Bournemouth, England.
Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
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Man Utd’s concern with Luis Enrique
On paper, Enrique is exactly the kind of high-pedigree manager a club like Man Utd should go for.
Considering the concern with Carrick is the doubt over his ability to win titles, Enrique is at the opposite end of that spectrum.
He’ll walk into the dressing room and have immense gravitas instantly, generating buy-in from players.
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Having said that, there’s a flipside to having such a strong pedigree, because United are unlikely to be fighting amongst the elites as soon as he arrives.
United need some work on and off the pitch before being ready to fight for the biggest honours, something Enrique is used to.
That is something Rio Ferdinand alluded to as well in a recent video on his YouTube channel.
He said: “We’re talking about a guy, is he going to come and risk stuff at a club that starts from such a low ebb. I don’t think so.
“I don’t think he wants that. He’d want that kind of fight. He’s in a place where he’s very comfortable. He’s appreciated. He’s loved. He’s respected. He’s continuously fighting for the biggest honours.”
Enrique’s concern is Carrick’s boost
United have already seen with Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal that pedigree elsewhere is not directly transferable to Old Trafford.
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Enrique has won most of his trophies with some of the greatest teams in the modern era, and while it can be argued that it was he who made them great, the opposite is equally true as well.
In contrast, Carrick took control of a team that was going nowhere rapidly, and the predecessor had left in a scorched-earth manner.
He immediately picked up the results with the same set of players while implementing a playing style that is attacking and attractive.
His ability to get more out of the same group that had been written off is a boost for United compared to Enrique, who has had an enviable crop of talent available to him for winning trophies.
It’s a concern that United must not ignore even if Enrique is available, which, as Ferdinand notes, will be unlikely anyway.
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