Manchester United look set to name Michael Carrick as caretaker boss for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, following the sacking of Ruben Amorim last week.
There has been plenty of speculation around who would replace the Portuguese at the helm, with owners INEOS preferring a caretaker boss for the second half of the season before naming a permanent successor in the summer.
There will, of course, be more options come the summer, with the likes of Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner, Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel all due to be out of contract in their current roles - although United will have to wait until after the 2026 World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico if they are interested in the latter two.
Luis Enrique Linked With The Job
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Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have both been considered for the caretaker role, with Carrick looking like being the chosen one and he will, of course, have the opportunity to showcase his skills in the second half of this season in an attempt to secure the role permanently too.
Luis Enrique has now distanced himself from reports that he could leave his role at Paris Saint-Germain to take up the vacant United job in the summer after reports that there had been a falling out behind the scenes in the French capital. He said: These are rumours that always circulate at PSG. We are used to them, they are private matters and will remain so. There is a lot of 'fake news' and they will not destabilise either the players or the team."
There is another name that not too many people have been speaking about in regard to the Old Trafford job, however - Roberto De Zerbi.
Manchester United Looked At De Zerbi Before
Jason Wilcox and Sir Jim Ratcliffe
David Ornstein did bring up Roberto De Zerbi as an option, when speaking to Sky Sports last week.
He said: "I think two who got the furthest last time before the Amorim appointment are Thomas Tuchel and De Zerbi. You know, Pep Guardiola has spoken about him publicly as being one of the best coaches in world football.
“Many people have their views on him, but I'm always fascinated to see what De Zerbi might be able to do at the very top level of European football.
“I'm going to look at those two. They were so highly thought of by Manchester United last time that maybe they will look back in that direction again this time around.”
Pep Guardiola Describes De Zerbi as Perfect
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As Ornstein mentions, Guardiola is a big fan of De Zerbi and enjoyed watching the Italian's teams play - if not playing against them.
Guardiola described De Zerbi as one of the managers he admires the most in the game and speaking after a clash with Brighton in 2024, the Manchester City boss said: "He's brave, it doesn't matter which opponent he faces, he wants to impose his game, the process he does in the build-up, they are just exceptional.
"I think he's the perfect person to be in the world of football because his teams are so attractive. Always when I'm sitting at home I like to watch it and when I'm his opponent I suffer!
"I am pretty convinced I am right in what I am saying: he is one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years. There is no team playing in the way they play. It’s unique."