Manchester United set to sack Carrick, Deschamps among five candidates

Manchester United are set to sack Michael Carrick during the international break, following a catastrophic start to the season: just one win in ten Premier League matches, leaving them in 18th place in the relegation zone. Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, the club’s chief executive and football director, are travelling to Monaco on Tuesday to meet co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and officially confirm the managerial change.

Among the five names being considered is Didier Deschamps, who has been available since 18 July, when he stepped down as France manager following the defeat in the third-place playoff of the 2026 World Cup against England (4-6) in Miami. World champion in 1998 as captain and then in 2026 as manager, Deschamps led the French national team for nearly fourteen years.

His interest in the position remains uncertain, however. At 58, the coach was considering a sabbatical year before returning in 2027, and has never shown particular interest in the Premier League. His profile as an experienced manager fits better with a national team position or a league such as Serie A or La Liga than with the tactical demands of English football.

Manchester United’s hierarchy are believed to have made more progress with two other profiles in recent weeks: Eddie Howe, former manager of Bournemouth and Newcastle, and Julian Nagelsmann, whose spells at Bayern Munich and with the German national team did not fully convince. Mauricio Pochettino, currently manager of the United States, is also highly regarded internally. Antonio Conte completes the list alongside Deschamps.