Julian Nagelsmann is set to rival Michael Carrick for the permanent head coach role at Manchester United.
Manchester United are currently conducting a thorough process to appoint a new head coach ahead of the 2026/27 season.
United hired Michael Carrick on a deal until the end of the season after parting ways with Ruben Amorim in January.
Carrick has done an outstanding job winning 70% of his games so far. United are now in pole position to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football.
Oliver Glasner, Adoni Iraola and Marco Silva are all out of contract this summer and were expected to be considered for the head coach role at Old Trafford, but concrete links to any of the three managers are yet to emerge.
Luis Enrique is a name United will almost certainly be looking at, but various reports claim that he is expected to extend his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.
United to consider Nagelsmann
While Carrick has put himself in a strong position to be appointed as the permanent head coach at United, the club are expected to consider a move for Julian Nagelsmann.
Everton’s former CEO, Keith Wyness, who now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs, has spoken about United's interest in Nagelsmann and also played down the chances of United making a move for Mauricio Pochettino.
“United want to get somebody there, and I think it’s either going to be Carrick or Nagelsmann. That’s what I’m hearing. Those are the two options," Wyness claimed.
“Carrick has got to be the favourite, he’s doing well. We all know that, and there’d be a real problem with the fans if he didn’t get the job, if they qualify for the Champions League, which it looks like they got a very good chance of doing.
“It’s those two names. Pochettino is a bit of a red herring, and it could be United trying to find some sort of alternative rumour out there to negotiate with somebody like a Nagelsmann.
“They’re trying to set the scene that there are other people they can go to. But it’s a two-horse race, which is where it stands from my point of view.”
Is Nagelsmann a better option than Carrick?
Not many people could have envisioned Carrick doing just as well as he has since taking over in the Old Trafford dugout.
Under Carrick's management, United have picked up 23 out of a possible 30 points in the Premier League and are now sitting in third place.
Nagelsmann has long been linked to United but his contract as manager of the German national team runs until 2028 which could complicate United's attempts to appoint him.
In addition to that, he would likely have very limited time to prepare for the new season if he were to be appointed. The World Cup final will be played on 19 July, while United are set to play their first game of pre-season the day before that against Wrexham in Helsinki. Nagelsmann would therefore also miss a few weeks of training before that game.
Carrick has done an excellent job, and even though Nageslmann is regarded as one of the best coaches in world football, sticking with Carrick may well be the sensible option for United. He has done an exceptional job, and appointing a different head coach, especially one who would miss a significant part of pre-season, could destroy the momentum United have built over the last few months.