5 Potential Replacements for Michael Carrick as Manchester United Manager Amid Rumors

Michael Carrick is making the wrong kind of history just one month into his first season as Manchester United manager.  

Wednesday's 3-2 defeat to Brighton in the League Cup saw the Red Devils throw away a two-goal lead for the first time in nigh on 50 years. Not a good look when you've also taken just four points from Premier League matches with Hull, Ipswich, Everton and Manchester City. 

Last season's interim breath of fresh air is now, predictably, this season's bad stench. Carrick is under pressure to quickly turn things around, or the United hierarchy may soon reverse its decision to reward his excellent spell as the post-Ruben Amorim interim.  

Who could take over? Let's look at some possible replacements. 

Julian Nagelsmann

Julian Nagelsmann is over a decade into his managerial career, but has yet to reach his 40th birthday. In that time, the German made his name at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, before (disappointing) tenures with Bayern Munich and the German national team. His name is consistently linked with the biggest teams, including United. 

He's undoubtedly a talented coach. Nagelsmann would bring a strong footballing identity, but honestly, I wonder if he actually represents a myriad of issues that United should avoid right now. 

Firstly, he's from the school of Ralf Rangnick, whose time at Old Trafford was an unmitigated disaster that left the club fighting off bad press when he got honest about the shambles behind the scenes.  

Nagelsmann also loves to press, something we know this United squad can't do very well. He often plays a transitional 3-5-2; we also know this United squad can't do that very well. The German coach doesn't tend to leave the midfield as exposed as Ruben Amorim did, but hiring Nagelsmann would likely put INEOS back on the path to rebuilding with a certain rhythm in mind.  

Big Jim won't want to do that after focusing on signing attackers last season, midfielders this summer, and defenders next. 

Eddie Howe

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As obvious a fit as there possibly is. Eddie Howe is the best English club manager in recent times. He's used to difficult situations, such as trying to steer Newcastle through their confusing takeover and subsequent increase in expectations, despite an underwhelming end to his stay at St. James' Park. 

One problem British managers keep running into is delivering when they're given the opportunity to step up. United know this better than anyone, with David Moyes. But we've also seen it with Frank Lampard, Graham Potter and Liam Rosenior at Chelsea.  

Most of these guys put together club-defining runs elsewhere. Do British managers have the tactical understanding, versatility, and progressive ideas that we're seeing from their Spanish equivalents? By and large, the answer is no.  

Howe at least plays football positively, with an attacking focus that made both his Newcastle and Bournemouth teams fun to watch and hard to beat. That would probably be an improvement for United.

Kieran McKenna

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The Kieran McKenna hype train feels like it's run out of steam. He was, however, a guest at Old Trafford on Wednesday to witness the defeat to Brighton. As harsh as it sounds, a return to the Red Devils would be through a marriage of convenience, rather than him being the right quality of manager that a club of this size needs.  

McKenna's Ipswich were relegated with four games remaining in the 2024-25 Premier League season. He made his name by winning promotion twice from the Championship and once from League One, but there's little evidence he could cut it as the leading man at a club that should be Champions League-level every single year. 

Of course, McKenna's previous time as first-team coach and assistant at United means he is well-known and respected within the club. He is a versatile coach, and is well-suited to making the best of a squad that has obvious gaps in. 

Sometimes you need to ask yourself, though: would another big side go for him? If you could ask that question and say 'no' when considering Tottenham, it should probably be a pass. 

Gareth Southgate

I can hear the groans of Man United supporters everywhere. Gareth Southgate's time with England positions him as potentially the right man for INEOS, but potentially not the right manager for the team… 

Here's a guy who completely turned the public perception of the Three Lions, making them likable, accountable, and a team worth getting behind after years of ambivalence. Southgate's on-field results were better than anything the country had seen since winning the World Cup in 1966, but his inability to 'just go for it' in key moments cost them two major finals. 

There's a sense that those in power would like to hire someone like Southgate. He's immensely respected, both inside and outside of football. Can he finish his dinner, though? 

Fabian Hürzeler

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There's no doubt Fabian Hürzeler will complete the transition from young Brighton talent to elite manager before too long. It's a well-trodden path for many of the club's players, including Carlos Baleba, who joined United in the summer transfer window after a year of speculation. 

The good thing for Hürzeler is that he isn't being rushed. Speculation about his future hasn't been too prominent. He's showing all the facets of a quality coach, taking Brighton to eighth last season, with the strength of character that makes him a strong leader. There were times last season the 33-year-old had to deal with whispers of pressure after an inconsistent run of form. He steered the ship well. 

Hürzeler's Brighton play consistently good football, too, as Carrick found out earlier this week. United decided not to go for Oliver Glasner and Andoni Iraola before settling on the Englishman for a permanent role. So many of the club's signings are Premier League-proven with room to improve, so why not add a manager of the same ilk?