Adoni Iraola is a serious candidate to become the next head coach of Manchester United.
Manchester United are expected to appoint a new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season once the current season ends.
United parted ways with Ruben Amorim in January and appointed Michael Carrick as head coach on a contract till the end of the season.
Carrick has done an exceptional job, winning nearly 70% of his games, and United are now all but certain to qualify for the Champions League.
Despite Carrick's success, United is undergoing a thorough process to appoint a new head coach, with CEO Omar Berrada and Director of Football Jason Wilcox leading the process.
United are said to have completed background checks on all potential candidates, but the club has yet to formally interview anyone for the role.
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is said to be of serious interest to United, although the World Cup could complicate matters. Luis Enrique is also of interest to United, but he is expected to extend his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.
Adoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner have also been linked to the Old Trafford hot seat, with both managers having confirmed that they will be leaving their clubs at the end of the season.
United keen on Iraola
Carrick is said to be in a very strong position to become United's new head coach permanently, but United are reportedly to be very keen on Iraola.
According to The Telegraph, Iraola is a candidate under serious consideration at Old Trafford.
The report claims that Iraola is greatly admired for the work he produced at Bournemouth and, in particular, for his coaching and playing style.
When United sacked Amorim, it was reported that United would prioritise Premier League experience when searching for the Portuguese's successor, something that Iraola obviously has after three impressive seasons at the Vitality Stadium.
Iraola has also been linked to the Chelsea job. The Blues recently sacked Liam Rosenior and will be looking to appoint a new head coach this summer, with Iraola said to be high on their initial shortlist.
United should back Carrick
Iraola is undoubtedly an outstanding coach. His aggressive high-pressing style of play is one the Old Trafford crowd would likely take well to.
However, many mid-table managers struggle to make the step up to top clubs as the emphasis often goes from out-of-possession coaching to in-possession coaching, meaning they often have to implement a much different game model compared to the one that brought them success lower down the league.
Carrick has done an exceptional job, and it's hard to imagine many managers who would have done better given the circumstances. While Iraola is top, he is not a significant upgrade.
United have also gained significant momentum under Carrick's leadership, and replacing him would ruin that, adding to the risk of appointing someone else.
Managers like Enrique and Nagelsmann are of a much higher calibre than Carrick, and, logically, United would hire them if the opportunity presented itself. So with that being said, unless United can attract a coach of that quality, they should stick with Carrick.