Manchester United’s difficult opening to the season has carried the club from the lakeside setting of Como back into another familiar debate: who could take over should Michael Carrick’s spell in charge come to an end? Eddie Howe, available after leaving Newcastle United last season, has emerged as the leading candidate within the football department.
Key takeaways
- Eddie Howe is the preferred potential successor to Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
- The 48-year-old has been out of work since departing Newcastle at the end of last season and would seriously consider a United approach.
- Jason Wilcox values Howe’s long record in English football, including his work at Bournemouth, Burnley and Newcastle.
- Unai Emery and Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann are also under consideration.
- Sunday’s match against Bournemouth could prove decisive for Carrick after a deeply disappointing start to the campaign.
Howe’s Newcastle record carries weight
Howe stepped away from management after five years at Newcastle, choosing to take a break following a period that transformed the club’s standing. He guided the Magpies into the Champions League and delivered the English League Cup, achievements that have strengthened his case for a return to one of the country’s biggest jobs.
United’s football leadership sees his domestic experience as a major advantage. Howe has spent his entire coaching career in England, first building his reputation with Bournemouth, then taking charge at Burnley before his successful Newcastle tenure.
The search has gathered pace during a bruising spell for United, whose defeat in Como was followed by celebrations inside the Italian club’s stadium. For a side with such continental ambitions, the result sharpened attention on the uncertainty around Carrick.
Emery and Nagelsmann remain alternative options
Howe is not the only coach being discussed. Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is admired, but any attempt to bring him from Birmingham would be expensive. The Spaniard remains under contract, has a substantial salary and could require compensation of about €20 million to be released.
Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, favours Julian Nagelsmann. The German national-team coach previously managed Bayern Munich and was in charge of Germany at the most recent World Cup. Yet Wilcox’s view is expected to carry greater influence with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who oversees football decisions at the club.
Carrick’s position has become increasingly vulnerable despite a strong 2025/26 campaign, when he replaced Rúben Amorim and led United back into the Champions League. This season has instead produced one of the club’s weakest starts for decades, leaving the Bournemouth fixture as a potentially defining afternoon for his future at Old Trafford.
