Manchester United chief Christopher Vivell is pushing for the appointment of a Michael Carrick alternative behind the scenes, according to Roundtable.
Talk of who Manchester United's next manager will be has heightened this week following the club's 2-1 defeat to Leeds United at Old Trafford on Monday night, which may have seen some doubts raised from the fans over his long-term suitability for the role.
While supporters can't afford to get the stunning run they have been on under Carrick in his caretaker spell, including wins against Arsenal and Manchester City in his opening two games in charge, Monday's performance was a concern.
The Red Devils were outclassed by Daniel Farke's relegation-threatened side in the opening 45 minutes, and following Lisandro Martinez's second-half red card, they were unable to fight back to take any points after going 2-0 down in the first half.
Carrick remains strongly in contention to get the job on a permanent basis however, according to Fabrizio Romano on GIVEMESPORT's Market Madness podcast, with the result against Leeds changing nothing.
United will know they need to consider other candidates too, and it seems Vivell in particular has his favoured option.
Vivell 'Pushing' for Julian Nagelsmann at United
Julian Nagelsmann watching on from the touchline
According to Roundtable, United are yet to make a decision on who Ruben Amorim's long-term successor will be, but it will be a pressing issue in the coming weeks.
The report says that of the other candidates alongside Carrick, United director of recruitment Vivell is 'pushing hard' for the appointment of Nagelsmann.
The duo know each other well and are friends from their time working together as part of the Red Bull setup previously, with Nagelsmann now Germany manager.
Vivell's opinion is said to carry significant weight behind the scenes at Old Trafford, as he played a key role in the additions of Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens last summer.
United insist that no final decisions have been made nor interviews held, but it is clearly getting towards crunch time in what is a huge decision for the club.
Nagelsmann a Strong Candidate for United Job
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann biting his nails
It is no surprise if Vivell is pushing for Nagelsmann, especially if he is open to taking the job.
While Carrick has performed excellently, United need to ensure they are considering all other options as they look to get this decision right ahead of a probable return to the Champions League next season.
That is one big benefit of Nagelsmann, given he has managed Bayern Munich in the Champions League, unlike Carrick, taking RB Leipzig to the semi-final stage of the competition.
The 'world-class' genius tactician has also won a Bundesliga title and managed his country, all before the age of 40.
GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed that despite having a contract with Germany beyond this summer's World Cup, the 38-year-old would be open to taking a job back in club football after the tournament should the right opportunity become available.
Of course, one negative of hiring Nagelsmann is the fact that he may not be available until late in the summer, especially if Germany reach the latter stages of the World Cup.
'world-class' - https://x.com/RorySmith/status/1454173813026004999