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Forget Conte: Man Utd Must Go All Out For 'Outstanding' Manager To Replace Carrick
REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo

Oct 26, 2026, 8:15 AM GMT

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When Evanilson rounded an on-rushing Senne Lammens to hand Bournemouth a 3-0 lead at Old Trafford, Manchester United continued their excruciating Groundhog Day, which has featured serial winners, old players and young tacticians, but still not a successful manager since Sir Alex Ferguson.

It was only this time last season that the pressure was on Ruben Amorim. Now, it is his replacement - Michael Carrick - who is a leading contender to win the Premier League's annual sack race.

Without a win in eight games, the writing is well and truly on the wall for the former midfielder - leaving INEOS to make a ruthless decision.

Man Utd must avoid huge Conte mistake

antonio-conte
REUTERS/Ciro De Luca

Man United need the very thing that they've lacked for over 10 years in their next appointment. They need stability and they need an identity which does not lead back to comments about past success from those who lived it.

It has been clear since the summer that INEOS are not willing to match the spending of rival clubs. There were no £100m bids for top stars in the summer, as they instead spread their budget in an attempt to rebuild a midfield which has since struggled to replace 34-year-old Casemiro.

Lisandro Martinez made his stance clear about that lack of investment, but it's clear that Man United's next manager will have to get on board with the idea of getting the very best out of what they've got. And that's why those at Old Trafford simply must avoid Antonio Conte.

No one can deny just how impressive Conte's CV is. He's won it all, including the Premier League. But his success is merely fleeting, rather than stable. At Chelsea, for example, he picked up his only English title in his first season in charge, before finishing fifth a year later and losing his job.

Since then, meanwhile, he has lasted less than two years at Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli. Two Serie A titles in that time can cloud some judgment, but the reality is that the fall-out would not be worth the potential one-season success amid Man United's current struggles.

Instead, INEOS must turn towards a modern manager who would turn Man United into one of the most impressive attacking sides in the Premier League.

Man Utd must hire "outstanding" Carrick replacement

When assessing this current Man United side, there are some clear issues which become immediately obvious. They are outworked all too easily and they lack the control to make up for their running numbers. Solving those issues must be top of United's list of priorities if they call time on Carrick's tenure.

That's what INEOS must take to the market and that's why Julian Nagelsmann would be the perfect choice. Following the path of Jurgen Klopp, the German is known for producing high-intensity, attacking football.

julian-nagelsmann
REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

Whilst his time with the German national team ended in failure after crashing out of the World Cup at the Round of 16 stage against Paraguay, that does not tell the story of Nagelsmann's career.

At 39 years old, this is a manager who has already won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and taken charge of his country at the World Cup. The best is yet to come and United can cash in on that potential by making a decision as soon as possible.

Julian Nagelsmann vs Michael Carrick

Bayern Munich 21/22

Man Utd 26/27

Turnovers Per 90

9.9

5.86

Goals Per 90

2.85

1.25

Goals Against Per 90

1.1

1.6

The numbers are damning for Carrick, especially when it comes to the work being done out of possession. Nagelsmann, meanwhile, transformed his last top club into one of the best pressing sides in Europe.

Dubbed "outstanding" by Joshua Kimmich, the German can strip away the past that is continuing to haunt those at Old Trafford and form a new identity, built on attacking excellence. By forgetting Conte, United can hire an undeniable game-changer.

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