While Manchester United continues to face doubts over the position of Michael Carrick as head coach, potential candidate Unai Emery may have made his stance very clear

Unai Emery may have made his stance on a move to Manchester United clear, as the Aston Villa boss has been linked with a potential move for the Old Trafford hot seat.

It comes as the current Red Devils head coach, Michael Carrick, has been under pressure over the past month, with results not quite matching expectations from the start of the season.

With just one win in the Premier League and the Champions League, respectively, there have been clear concerns about where the campaign could be headed. Add to that the chaotic moments off the pitch, starting with Lisandro Martinez's dig at the hierarchy before Bruno Fernandes questioned the manager's tactics, and you get a potentially toxic situation.

While Carrick would've wanted a positive response over the weekend against Bournemouth, he got what may well be the final moments of his tenure in a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

As a result, there are growing doubts about the manager's position at the club and about the potential for change, as new names continue to emerge for the role. Among those linked has been Unai Emery, who has been consistently competitive in his time at Aston Villa, building a team capable of challenging at the top regardless of the sale of some big players.

With his ability to get a team punching above their weight, it seems like a natural fit for a Man United team that is lacking direction and a clear way of playing.

However, Emery may well have made his stance on his future clear, with a potentially indirect message to the Red Devils. The Spaniard attended the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday, and with it, he wore a suit with a specially embroidered Aston Villa badge on it.

Speaking on DAZN's coverage, he was asked if it was a new suit and said: "Yes, it's a new suit. An Aston Villa suit... I am feeling so, so comfortable and it's something [that] make us proud [to be] part [of]."

It may be the clearest sign from Emery that he is happy with his position at Aston Villa amid links to the Man United job, with the club facing a tough task in prising him away.

It's a stance that makes sense, considering the 54-year-old has so much control over his place at Villa Park, having become so embedded with the club since joining in 2022.

That may force Man United to consider other options in the managerial market if a switch is decided upon, with plenty of notable names available for the club to look at.

Antonio Conte, Eddie Howe, and Julian Nagelsmann are among those in the free agent market who could be open to the task, while those in jobs such as Fabian Hurzeler have also been linked.

It remains to be seen what decision the Red Devils will make, with a clash against Liverpool on the horizon and some tough questions to answer.