Manchester United will spend the coming months assessing candidates for the permanent head coach role, with a few targets emerging early as favourites to succeed Michael Carrick in the summer.
Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United last week, after 14 months as head coach, where he led the team to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham.
After questioning Ineos, Amorim’s job became untenable. The board were quick to promote Darren Fletcher as caretaker head coach for two matches, but he has since returned to coaching the U18s.
It was announced on Tuesday that Michael Carrick was appointed head coach to succeed Amorim until the end of the season.
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United are understood to be drawing up candidates before making their decision in the summer.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was initially seen as a top target, but it doesn’t bode well that the Eagles’ form has dipped significantly in recent weeks. Especially after getting knocked out of the FA Cup by Macclesfield Town last weekend.
Roberto De Zerbi in the dugout as Marseille take on Bayeux FC in the French Cup
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Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi emerge as favourites for Man Utd
With Glasner’s stock decreasing with each poor result at Crystal Palace, who are currently 13th in the Premier League table, other candidates would inevitably join the race.
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Frustration amongst United fans will put even more pressure on the hierarchy to make the right choice.
Carrick might become a candidate if he succeeds in his temporary role, while Gareth Southgate will forever be linked with the job due to his strong relationship with Ineos.
There’s Xabi Alonso, who was given his marching orders at Real Madrid this week, as well as Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.
However, The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson claims he keeps hearing about Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi being the two favourites for the permanent United head coach role.
“I think they’re after Tuchel or De Zerbi, those are the two names I hear as the faves,” Jackson told Sky Sports.
“I don’t know what you think about that. I think Tuchel knows his stuff.
“He did kind of turn them down previously when they looked like they were going to sack Ten Hag before the FA Cup Final, what was it? May 2024, going back a couple of years, you remember, then they met him in Monaco or the rest of it. But yeah, so, you know, heavyweight manager.
“I still think that United have never had a heavyweight manager at the top of his game since Ferguson. So Mourinho went in there, but I think he was over the hill a little bit. Van Gaal the same, and then after that, you’re looking at sort of people with potential on the way up.”
Is Gary Neville wrong to be ruling Michael Carrick out of the running for the permanent job already?
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Rio Ferdinand favours Roberto De Zerbi appointment
Former United defender Rio Ferdinand has made it clear he wants United to hire De Zerbi.
The Italian coach was linked with the United job before accepting his current job at Ligue 1 outfit Marseille, but Ferdinand still believes he could make a good fit for the head coach role at Old Trafford.
“Someone who’s free right now; not free [but] someone who’s gettable,” Ferdinand said on Rio Ferdinand Presents while discussing potential permanent appointments.
“More than someone like Tuchel, because Tuchel would be one of my biggest picks as well, is De Zerbi. I’m telling you. Any formation he wants to play, the guy is a proper coach who gets players working and playing.”
De Zerbi’s Marseille side are currently third in Ligue 1, eight points adrift of leaders Lens.
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