Manchester United next manager: Money surges on Carrick after derby win, 25% backing Glasner
Three different men have occupied the dugout in Manchester United’s last four matches and the Old Trafford club are only at the start of their process to find a new permanent manager.
After Ruben Amorim’s exit, Darren Fletcher took charge as caretaker before the appointment of Michael Carrick until the end of the season. From the Amorim to the interim, a lot has changed at Old Trafford in just two weeks.
And yet United’s problem remains the same as ever: they need a manager to point them in the right direction and succeed where David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Amorim have all failed.
Who might they turn to as their next permanent boss? The search is not likely to be a quick one as the team consider their options heading into the summer.
Saturday’s 2-0 Manchester derby win certainly did Carrick’s chances of landing the job permanently no harm as United produced a display that was arguably more impressive than anything ever delivered under Amorim. Somewhat predictably, according to Betfair, 42 per cent of the money going on the next United boss has gone on Carrick, who is now unbeaten in his four games as United interim manager.
Yes, those four games are split over two separate spells four years apart, but the former midfielder has held his own against Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel. A better barometer of Carrick’s suitability for the job might come in games against opponents that sit deep and make it difficult for United to play in behind. This might be where the 44-year-old’s managerial experience is exposed. So it’s a case of keeping calm on this one, for now.
Among the headlines this week was that Oliver Glasner’s time at Crystal Palace will end this season. He has already confirmed his refusal to sign a new contract, meaning he will be free to take another job in the summer, and 24 per cent of the money has gone on the Austrian moving to Old Trafford.
Despite Palace’s recent poor run of form, Glasner will be sought after. He has raised Palace to new heights, winning last season’s FA Cup and taking the Eagles into Europe. His favoured style of play, however, raises questions about his suitability for Manchester United.
Crystal Palace currently average the third-lowest share of possession per match (42.9 per cent) in the Premier League. Only five teams have played more long balls and Glasner likes to use a back three. Could these things prevent him from taking over at United? He wouldn’t be the most popular appointment among fans, either.
From one end of the playstyle spectrum to the other, Roberto De Zerbi is getting some buzz with 19 per cent of the money. He has been linked with big jobs before and the Italian was supposedly on the radar of several Premier League clubs during his time at Brighton, where his attacking style of football caught the eye.
De Zerbi, however, is known for his volatility. He left Brighton in acrimonious circumstances and has been at the centre of a training ground bust-up or two as Marseille manager. After the way Amorim’s reign ended, would United be willing to hire someone even more unpredictable in a press conference setting? De Zerbi’s style of play might appeal, but his appointment would be a risk.
Before Amorim rocked the boat at United, Enzo Maresca — getting 10 per cent of the backing — did something similar as Chelsea manager. Unhappy at how the Stamford Bridge club was being run, there are certainly parallels between how the two reigns came to an end.
Enzo Maresca is out at Chelsea… could he be in at Manchester United? (Alex Livesey – Danehouse)
That in itself might be a barrier to United hiring the Italian, who has also been mentioned as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City — although his connection with former City Group staff now at the top at United, namely Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, may calm those fears.
Maresca’s style of play at Chelsea was possession-heavy. He wanted his side to dominate games with the ball. However, Chelsea fans had complaints about a lack of ideas in the attacking third. That might make Maresca an awkward fit for a club whose fans regularly chant ‘attack, attack, attack.’
Lastly, Thomas Tuchel (5 per cent) has other things on his mind right now besides the vacancy at United. He is, of course, preparing England for the 2026 World Cup, with The Three Lions expected to be among the favourites to win the whole thing.
Regardless of whether Tuchel emerges from the summer as the next Sir Alf Ramsay or not, he has a decision to make about his future, considering his contract ends after the World Cup.
Tuchel’s track record speaks for itself. He is a Champions League winner with experience of success in England, France and Germany. His CV might be the strongest of any candidate on United’s shortlist.
