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Next Man United manager: Ranking 5 best candidates if Man United sack Michael Carrick, with Pochettino in the frame originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Manchester United appear to be moving towards their ninth managerial appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013.
Michael Carrick's tenure is reportedly hanging by a thread after Sunday's frankly ridiculous 4-4 draw against Aston Villa. Despite stoppage-time goals from substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu to salvage a point, United will spend the November international break in the Premier League relegation zone.
A dramatic 3-2 win over Roma in the Champions League last week provided some cause for optimism, but even that came after the sort of shambolic start to the match that has become an unfortunate hallmark of Carrick's team this season.
United's only Premier League win in 10 attempts remains a 5-2 win over Ipswich Town in late August. Reports on November 9, initially from The Guardian, suggested this form is set to send Carrick the same way as Ruben Amorim, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and David Moyes
So who's next?
MORE:Man United managers since Sir Alex Ferguson: Best record, stats with Michael Carrick on the brink
Who will be next Man United manager?
Eddie Howe
Out of work since leaving Newcastle United in July, Howe was initially reported to be a leading candidate in late October and a favourite of United's much-maligned director of football Jason Wilcox.
The restorative job he did at Newcastle before leading the club to its first domestic trophy in 70 years highlights how he could bring plenty of positives to Old Trafford.
Amorim's demise was hastened by a chastening home loss to Howe's Newcastle in December 2025, when a 2-0 defeat considerably flattered the hosts. It is questionable whether he would be able to impart his preferred high-octane brand of football on a United midfield and defence that do not look equipped.
Mauricio Pochettino
The Athletic reported on November 9 that USMNT boss Pochettino "would be expected to figure highly among the candidates", making him something of a bolter into the race. The former Chelsea and Tottenham boss did not initially appear to be in the frame when speculation over Carrick's future first gathered pace in late October.
It is far from the first time Pochettino has been linked to Old Trafford. He was mentioned in dispatches when Mourinho was axed in late 2018 and when Solskjaer circled the drain less than three years later.
The Argentine was a rising star when he took charge of Southampton in 2013 and was poached by Tottenham 18 months later. Pochettino ended up being Spurs' best manager since the great Bill Nicholson more than half a decade earlier. Major honours remained elusive, but they were a permanent fixture at the near top of the Premier League and have got nowhere near those heights since.
In truth, neither has Pochettino across spells with Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and the United States. His appointment would create excitement but it would be worth wondering whether United were repeating the mistakes of installing Van Gaal and Mourinho, namely going after a manager no longer at the cutting edge.
Julian Nagelsmann
Another out-of-work option following his demise as Germany head coach, Nagelsmann is still only 39. Once presumed destined for the very top of the game, his career has plateaued over recent years after mixed spells with Bayern Munich and Die Mannschaft.
Nagelsmann is a favourite of United's recruitment director Christopher Vivell after the two worked together at the Red Bull Group, although Wilcox is presumed to have the ear of United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to a greater extent.
Antonio Conte
Like Howe and Nagelsmann, Conte would not need to be extracted from current employers, having left Napoli in the summer. That was 12 months after he led the club to Serie A glory.
Conte's reputation as a no-nonsense, serial winner must be set against his uncompromising approach that often burns out within a couple of years and can feel like something akin to a scorched earth policy.
A Premier League winner with Chelsea in 2016-17, he also guided Tottenham to Champions League qualification in 2021/22. He would undoubtedly improve matters at United in the short to medium term, and plenty of fans would relish his hard line with the playing squad.
But if the United brains trust go down the Conte route, they would have to have a plan in place for what happens when his customarily angry exit strategy comes around.
Unai Emery
Viewed by many as the best coach in the Premier League right now on account of ongoing superb work at Aston Villa. Emery would cost United a considerable amount in compensation. Plus, it's tempting to ask why on earth he would subject himself to the chaos of Old Trafford when he has such a good thing going on at Villa.
Emery looks like he is exactly where he needs to be. His success at Villa echoes his multiple Europa League wins at Sevilla. If he were to tackle the task at United, his work at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal paints a less-favourable picture. The manner in which Villa twice shelled two-goal leads against a bedraggled United last weekend and Emery's tetchy behaviour in post-match interviews felt like cautionary tales to this end.
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