Manchester United are not willing to accept a key demand from Eddie Howe if he is to replace Michael Carrick as the Red Devils’ manager, according to a report.

Carrick is facing the sack at Man Utd after the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

Man Utd are now just a point above the relegation zone in the Premier League table.

The Red Devils have lost two of their three Champions League games and have also been knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

According to The Sun, Man Utd chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are at Carrington at the moment to make a final decision on the future of Carrick as manager.

Former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is one of the managers that Man Utd co-owners INEOS are considering appointing as a potential replacement for Carrick.

Howe is without a managerial role at the moment after parting ways with Newcastle in the summer of 2026.

Sky Sports reported on October 25 that Howe is willing to hold talks with Man Utd over the managerial role at Old Trafford.

Man Utd and Eddie Howe in disagreement over ‘clauses’

It has now emerged that the two parties are in talks, but they are unable to agree on the prospect of a clause in Howe’s contract.

A X account with 759,000 followers and run by a team of elite reporters posted at 10:02am on October 26: “Manchester United insider: Eddie Howe’s representatives are meeting in London with #MUFC officials.

“He wants a contract without any clauses. Manchester United want certain UCL clauses placed in the contract.”

Last week, Newcastle legend Alan Shearer gave his take on the managerial situation at Man Utd and reacted to claims that the Red Devils’ co-owners, INEOS, are keen on Howe.

Shearer said: “I hope this isn’t the end for Michael Carrick at Man United, but obviously you’d have to be concerned because of the results.

“I mean, it can’t be a coincidence. Manchester United keep going through manager after manager after manager, looking for a solution. The club is awful in terms of the way it is.

“I’ve always said whatever’s happening at the top of the club always filters down onto the pitch, and what we’re seeing on the pitch is because of what’s happening all over the rest of the club.

“I know they achieved Champions League football last year and Michael Carrick did a great job, but then yes, Manchester United are a huge football club, but they’re not a huge football team anymore.

“They didn’t get number one and maybe not even number two targets in the summer, so their recruitment’s been a problem for a while now, and they needed more in the summer as well.

“I hope he doesn’t lose his job, but it wouldn’t surprise me because that’s what happens. When you look at how many have been in there, it’s just bonkers what keeps happening at that club, and they keep on thinking, ‘well, it’s the manager’s fault or the coach’s fault.’ Well, it isn’t.”

Shearer added: “I guess you don’t have to be on the inside to think and know what’s going on at Manchester United.

“When you go through Rangnick and Eric Ten Hag, Rúben Amorim, then you talk about the Dan Ashworth situation, you had Dave Brailsford and the compensation they paid Newcastle, then sacked him, their recruitment, arguing with ticket prices. There’s so much going on there in terms of how it highlights the huge problems they’ve got.

“It’s there for everyone to see. Everyone’s looking at it. It’s being played out in the open. You don’t need an Eric Ten Hag interview to know that there are huge problems at Manchester United.

“Is Antonio Conte the answer? I don’t know. My only thing would be this: it’s not the coach’s fault. There are huge issues at the football club. I don’t know how desperate he is for a job.

“I guess looking at who’s been in and how many managers and coaches they’ve hired and fired, I just wonder whether other managers would look at that and think, well, I know how huge you are, but maybe that’s not the right job at the right time.

“Eddie Howe has also been linked, he wants control of things, and in a club that he sees that is his role and his issue. Whether he would get that at Manchester United or not, I don’t know.”