Manchester United ‘talks’ with potential Michael Carrick success have already begun: report
There is growing doubt over the future of Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick after his team’s miserable 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Man United have now played 11 matches in all competitions since Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis, having steered them back into the Champions League with a fine run of form in the Premier League in the second half of last season.
They have won just one each in the league and in Europe, beating Ipswich Town and Sabah to offer only the briefest of respite from a dreadful start to the 2026/27 season and Carrick’s tenure.
Antonio Conte talks with Manchester United are underway, according to reports in Italy
With captain Bruno Fernandes openly challenging his tactics and Carrick moving to divert some of the blame to his players, the head coach’s days would appear to be numbered.
Indeed, reports in Italy indicate that talks between the United hierarchy and one possible successor for the 45-year-old former England midfielder have already progressed in a positive manner.
Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte is among the favourites to replace Carrick as the next permanent Manchester United manager, and La Repubblica claims that the wheels are already in motion.
“Talks with Conte continued late Wednesday evening: the manager opened up about the possibility of returning to the Premier League, but has set specific conditions,” reports the Italian daily newspaper.
“He is asking for carte blanche on the transfer market and the ability to choose the players who will support him in his new adventure. He wants to influence the team’s construction, identify players who are key to his game, and have trusted collaborators at his side.
“In the next few hours, the owners will evaluate the demands, a crucial step in determining whether the dialogue can develop into a concrete negotiation. There has been an opening, but an agreement hasn’t yet been reached.”
Conte is reported to be demanding control over United’s transfers. Jason Wilcox might have a thing or two to say about that but his standing inside the club was revealed to be less than stellar by last week’s critical comments from United defender Lisandro Martinez.
Conte has Premier League experience and a league title to his name. He has won Serie A with Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli, and has a well established track record of turning teams that are less than the sum of their parts into winners in short order.
But the 57-year-old would also have to be regarded as a relatively short-term option. He has managed four clubs for two years each in the last decade, which seems to make him a risky appointment for any outfit willing to hand over the level of influence he is understood to be pushing.
Conte is reported to be in contact with United but the favourite to succeed Carrick is former Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe, who has tended to stick around longer at clubs with lower expectations than those he’d face at Old Trafford.
Julian Nagelsmann, who had managed both Germany and Bayern Munich but is also currently out of work, is also currently listed at shorter odds than Conte.
