Carrick is fine, but United are looking at Iraola too
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 01.05.26. | 15:30
Manchester executives know that this will be extremely important hire and want to explore every opportunity
From a results standpoint, Michael Carrick has earned the trust of Manchester United for the long term, but past experiences are making the club’s leadership cautious and pushing them to consider other candidates as well. One of them is Andoni Iraola. United are on the right track to return to the UEFA Champions League after two seasons away. They currently sit third in the table, and if they match or better the result of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion in the next round, they will mathematically secure qualification. Once that happens, there is growing belief in England that Carrick will be rewarded with a long-term contract.
There’s no doubt he’s earned it. When he took over, the team was sixth—three and a half months later, they’re third. In that span, Carrick has collected more points (29) than any other manager in the league, establishing himself as a serious long-term option for the United bench. He has done everything within his control, but the final decision lies with the club—and at Old Trafford, the debate is ongoing. The hesitation stems from past “trauma” with a similar decision—when Ole Gunnar Solskjær was given the job permanently in 2019 after just 19 matches. Despite staying for two and a half years, he failed to make a decisive step forward. He finished third in his first full season and second in the next, but both times far behind the leaders, and also failed to win the Europa League. After a poor start to his third season, he was dismissed after 12 rounds.
According to Telegraph, because of that experience, United do not want to rush this decision and will conduct a full process, including talks with other candidates. Among them, Iraola is reportedly the most serious option. The Spanish coach recently confirmed he will leave AFC Bournemouth at the end of the season, attracting attention from several European clubs. He was initially linked with Athletic Bilbao—a job that could instead go to Edin Terzić—and is also reportedly on the radar of Chelsea FC, alongside candidates such as Marco Silva and Xabi Alonso. Iraola is not short of interest—Crystal Palace also tried to convince him, as they are set to lose Oliver Glasner at the end of the season—but reportedly failed. The Spaniard wants a bigger, more ambitious environment, preferably without changing leagues. In other words, he intends to stay in the Premier League, which aligns with United’s desire for a coach with English top-flight experience.
There was also an idea involving Thomas Tuchel, but he was ruled out after extending his contract with the England national football team. The “dream candidate,” Luis Enrique, is also expected to stay at Paris Saint-Germain. Roberto De Zerbi dropped out of contention after moving to Tottenham Hotspur—and due to concerns over cost—while Mauricio Pochettino is unavailable until after the World Cup and currently not among the top options, just like Julian Nagelsmann.
ENGLAND PREMIER LEAGUE Round 35
Friday
22.00: (1.40) Leeds (4.70) Burnley (8.00)
Saturday
17.00: (2.00) Brentford (3.75) West Ham (3.65)
17.00: (2.55) Newcastle (3.50) Brighton (2.65)
17.00: (3.25) Wolverhampton (3.35) Sunderland (2.25)
19.30: (1.50) Arsenal (4.30) Fulham (7.75)
Sunday
16.00: (1.63) Bournemouth (4.20) Crystal Palace (5.00)
17.30: (2.40) Man.Utd. (3.90) Liverpool (2.80)
21.00: (2.15) Aston Villa (3.60) Tottenham (3.60)
Monday
17.00: (1.75) Chelsea (4.20) Nott.Forest (4.60)
22.00: (6.50) Everton (4.80) Man.City (1.50)
* odds are subject to change