Man Utd pick current Prem boss as standout candidate to replace Carrick as Conte truths emerge

The Manchester United board have already identified Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler as their preferred choice to replace Michael Carrick as their manager if the club decide to call time, according to a well-connected journalist, who has also revealed the latest on Antonio Conte’s links to the job.

The Red Devils are on the cusp of going into full-blown crisis mode after a dismal start to the season. Four losses in their opening nine games, coupled by having only put a meagre two wins on the board, have left United in dire straits – and Carrick in a precarious position.

Indeed, the latest of those losses – a 2-0 setback at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League – has really set tongues wagging over the future of their 45-year-old manager, just a matter of months into the club’s decision to award him a permanent two-year deal.

Despite that, our sources are adamant that Carrick retains the board’s support, with co-owners INEOS still backing the 45-year-old to turn their form around and refusing to panic at the first sign of a crisis.

That stance has also been backed by Fabrizio Romano.

However, while David Ornstein notes that United’s board also retain faith in their manager, he reveals that they have noted that improvements have to be made and that their current position of 13th in the Premier League table is not good enough.

Taking those concerns one step further, the well-connected Samuel Luckhurst has now claimed the United board have indeed drawn up a shortlist of candidates to replace Carrick if their dismal form continues to suffer and a change at the top is required.

And according to his report in The Sun, INEOS, led by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, have installed Brighton boss Hurzeler as the standout Premier League candidate to take over at United if they change coach.

He states that the 33-year-old German, who has led third-placed Brighton to four wins from six games against United since he took over in 2024 and has secured successive eighth-placed finishes in the top flight, has emerged as their outstanding choice to take charge should they call time on Carrick.

Any approach, though, would not come cheap. Hurzeler only signed a new three-year deal at the AMEX back in June, and he has made the Seagulls one of the most progressive sides in the Premier League, a fact borne out by their recent 3-0 win over champions Arsenal.

Antonio Conte Man Utd links explained

Per Luckhurst, the United board are also very much aware of Antonio Conte‘s availability too and, while strong reports in Italy have pushed the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager’s credentials, he says the board see him as a riskier, more ‘combustible’ option, albeit as the polar opposite to Carrick.

However, Luckhurst denies claims that the United board had already met with the Italian during the recent international break to discuss his possible appointment.

That is despite The Athletic‘s assertion last month that Conte is ready to get back into management.

Meanwhile, his credentials have also been pushed by Italian journalist Daniele Longo, who has over 153,000 followers on X, and has reported that Conte “wants” to manage Man Utd and is “ready” to return to the Premier League.

Scholes urges Man Utd to resist move for Hurzeler

In an emotional interview on Tuesday night and in the wake of their loss to Atletico Madrid, defender Lisandro Martinez appeared to back Carrick by suggesting the coach had been put in an impossible position and instead turned his heat and ire on the club’s board, suggesting their transfer policy over the summer had let the manager down.

Former United hero Paul Scholes also shares that view and is convinced that a change of manager would not be beneficial, urging the Red Devils to think twice before sacking Carrick and making an approach for Hürzeler.

Scholes said: “We’ve been here for the last three years.

“We look like it looks like, or it sounds like, they’re going to change the manager again.

“How can we keep doing this? We’re back to square one after six games of the season.

“When do you stop sacking managers and start blaming people above, the people who are possibly buying the players, the people who are pointing at Michael?”

Butt said: “It was Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox who came in, obviously from City, so, god knows what’s going to happen there in the future.

“But they came in; they gave Ten Hag a new deal when everyone was thinking he wasn’t for the club.

“Then they go and get Amorim, who, quite obviously, the way he played football wasn’t a good fit with the club.

“And then we’ve given Michael, and we said it way back then, and Michael’s a good friend of ours.

“However, we’re sitting here talking; you’ve got to be honest. When you give an ex-player who’s a fan who the fans love, everyone loves a Michael at Man Utd.

“When you give him a job, and he does well, you’re killing yourself because you’ve got to then give him the job full time.

“It happened with Ole. You bring him in, and you just know what’s going to happen. You’re going to get the bounce effect. You’re going to do really well, and then they’re forced to go and give him the job.”

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Scholes was asked whether Man Utd should hire Hurzeler.

The Man Utd legend responded: “He’s done great. He looks the real deal, but again, Man Utd is different. The scrutiny is on you every single week.

“If Brighton didn’t win a game for the next 10 games, nobody would really be that bothered.

“The one thing that someone like Hürzeler has got over Michael is that he’s done a body of work in the Premier League.

“Michael did okay in Middlesbrough with what he had. I think Middlesbrough were probably expecting more with the budget they had.

“There’s a bit of me when you look at Michael because I know him; Michael’s a nice lad. Is there a bit of him that’s thinking, ‘Get me out of here. Get me out of here, I’ll take a few quid.’

“I’m not going to say he’s been let down in the transfer market because, again, he’ll be part of that.

“He’ll be part of the recruitment. Now, there are some clubs that just don’t want to consult the manager.

“I’m pretty sure at Man Utd, I’d say 90-odd per cent of clubs that managers are involved in recruiting.”