EMERY AND NAGELSMANN EMERGE AS CARRICK REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

Unai Emery and Julian Nagelsmann have emerged as leading options for Manchester United if the club decides to replace head coach Michael Carrick. United lost 4-1 at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday and have won two of their 11 matches this season. One win came in the Premier League and the other in Europe. United sit 13th in the league, while their start to the season is their poorest since 1986. Carrick is due to hold a media conference on Friday before Bournemouth visit Old Trafford on Sunday.

Emery has managed Aston Villa since 2022 and has a contract until 2029. He led Villa to last season’s Europa League title, the club’s first major trophy since 1996, and a fourth-place finish, one place behind United. His reported annual pay of £10m to £12m could make compensation an obstacle for United. Emery has also won trophies with Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal, and previously managed Arsenal. Nagelsmann left his post with Germany after its World Cup last-32 exit this summer; he previously managed Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga with Bayern in 2022.

United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, rates Nagelsmann highly, and Nagelsmann would reportedly welcome an approach. He also led Germany to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where Spain eliminated them. Antonio Conte, Eddie Howe and Kieran McKenna are other possible candidates after leaving Napoli, Newcastle and Ipswich respectively. Fabian Hürzeler does not currently want to leave Brighton. Separately, someone broke into the home of United captain Bruno Fernandes while he was away with the team in Como.