Howe and Emery named as only credible Carrick successors as Balde signals January exit

Jamie Redknapp has narrowed Manchester United’s managerial options to two names — Eddie Howe and Unai Emery — should the club decide to part ways with caretaker boss Michael Carrick, whose position remains under mounting pressure despite surviving several apparent dismissals this season.

“There are only, I think, two runners,” Redknapp told Sky Sports. “Listen, Michael Carrick is still in the job, so it’s unfair to be saying it. But if that’s the case, if this doesn’t improve, it’s inevitable that he’s going to lose his job. It can only be him (Emery) really, and Eddie Howe.”

Howe is currently unattached following his departure from Newcastle, though he is not a free agent in the traditional sense — his former club would require compensation of around £3m from any side wishing to appoint him. Emery, by contrast, is contracted to Aston Villa until 2029, which would make him a considerably more expensive option.

Carrick’s caretaker tenure initially reignited optimism at Old Trafford, but the current campaign has deteriorated sharply. Supporter frustration has largely been directed at the squad rather than the manager himself, a dynamic that has so far shielded Carrick from the sack. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS leadership group are understood to be weighing their options as the winter window approaches.

On the transfer front, United’s failure to sign a left-back during the summer has been identified as one of the window’s most significant oversights, with Luke Shaw currently the only recognised option in that position. Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde had been linked with a late move to Old Trafford in the summer but opted to stay and fight for his place under Hansi Flick.

That decision has yielded little reward for the Spain international, who has accumulated just 116 minutes across four appearances this season. According to Mundo Deportivo, Balde has now accepted that a January departure is necessary to secure regular first-team football.

Barcelona have placed a €40m (£33.4m) valuation on the 21-year-old and are open to a permanent sale in January, though the Catalan club are not willing to sanction a loan arrangement. Whether United, under whatever managerial regime is in place come the new year, move to address the position remains to be seen.