Ratcliffe backs Eddie Howe to replace Carrick as United board split over next manager

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has emerged as a backer of Eddie Howe to take over as Manchester United manager, according to The i Paper, as pressure mounts on incumbent Michael Carrick following a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth that left the club without a win in eight games.

The loss has accelerated talk of Carrick’s departure, with reports suggesting his sacking is imminent. INEOS and Ratcliffe now face the task of identifying a successor, and a clear divide has emerged within the club’s hierarchy over who that should be.

Director of football Jason Wilcox is said to favour Howe, a preference Ratcliffe reportedly shares. The United co-owner has previously shown a preference for English managers, having spearheaded an earlier push to recruit former England head coach Gareth Southgate. Head of recruitment Christopher Vivell, however, is pushing for Julian Nagelsmann, the former Germany and Bayern Munich manager, creating a split at boardroom level.

Howe, 48, left Newcastle in the summer after guiding the club to its first major trophy in 70 years. He has since indicated a desire to take a break from management, though his free-agent status makes him an appealing and cost-effective option for United.

Any approach for Howe may hinge on one significant condition: the Englishman is known for his fierce loyalty to his backroom staff and has previously walked away from opportunities rather than compromise on that point. In 2021, a proposed move to Celtic collapsed after the Scottish club declined to allow Howe to bring his own coaching team with him.

Whether United’s board would be willing to accommodate that demand remains unclear, particularly given the existing tensions around Wilcox’s own position. Defender Lisandro Martinez recently criticised the director of football publicly over the club’s summer recruitment, raising questions about Wilcox’s long-term standing at Old Trafford.

Antonio Conte has also been mentioned as a candidate, though Nagelsmann and Howe appear to be the two names most seriously in contention should Carrick be dismissed.