BREAKING NEWS: If Man United truly wants me back then they should sack Carrick and appoints this particular manager instead, He’s the only manager that I only want to play under at Man United”, Rashford finally reveals the ONE Manager He wants INEOS to appoint before His arrival
The identity of Manchester United’s next manager is still unknown. While interim boss Michael Carrick has made a strong case to land the job on a permanent basis, it’s believed the club are biding their time when it comes to appointing Ruben Amorim’s full-time successor.
United bosses are remaining tight-lipped about their plans for next season, but Sky Sports has suggested the club have not yet made contact with any other potential candidates. The club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, reportedly believe there is no need to rush into a decision when the team is currently performing so well.
The Red Devils have been linked with the likes of Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and PSG’s Luis Enrique during their current recruitment drive, although they’ve been in a similar position several times in recent seasons. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at the managers United have made contact with in the last few years as the hunt for the next man to fill Old Trafford’s hot seat is ongoing.
Ernesto Valverde
Former Barcelona coach Valverde has recently confirmed his departure from Athletic Club at the conclusion of the current season. He is in his third stint as the club’s manager.
Athletic have had a challenging season and currently sit ninth in La Liga with nine league matches left, prompting Valverde to call time on his tenure.
The 62-year-old Spaniard was among the contenders for the interim manager role at United following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November 2021.
United approached Valverde, who had been unemployed since leaving Barcelona in 2020. Ultimately, United appointed Ralf Rangnick on a contract until the end of the 2021/22 season.
Mauricio Pochettino
United reportedly failed in their initial enquiry to lure ex-Spurs boss Pochettino to Old Trafford back in November 2021. Old Trafford chiefs were said to be long-term admirers of the Argentinian and they believed he could have been keen on taking the permanent position.
The former PSG boss was the club’s primary target to replace Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2019, only for Solskjaer’s caretaker spell to be so successful that he was handed a three-year contract.
Mauricio Pochettino
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Pochettino enjoyed a brilliant spell at Tottenham(Image: Getty Images)
Managing the French giants at the time, the current manager of the United States national team was highly evasive when asked about his future in 2021. Pochettino laughed off speculation in a press conference saying: “Thank you, ciao”, before walking away.
Thomas Frank
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe reportedly held talks with Thomas Frank in the summer of 2024. According to a TV2 report, the talks apparently took place in May 2024, the day before United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.
The report claimed that Ratcliffe interviewed Frank in his garage in London, while Chelsea were also keen on the Danish coach. In the end, United went on to extend Erik Ten Hag’s contract before replacing him with Amorim five months later.
Frank would go on to leave Brentford to take on the role of Tottenham manager, before being sacked himself earlier this season.
Speaking on interviewing for United and Chelsea, Frank told TV2: “I know I didn’t get either job, but it was still huge. I remember walking through Battersea Park between the two interviews and thinking: ‘Thomas Frank from f*****g Frederiksvaerk – am I really experiencing this?'”
Luis Enrique
The coaching icon was considered as a potential replacement following Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021. Instead, they ultimately appointed Ten Hag.
Enrique had been through a tragic loss in 2019 when his daughter died during his tenure as the manager of Spain, prompting the country’s FA to grant him compassionate leave. Determined to honour his nation, Enrique returned to lead Spain at the 2022 World Cup, all but ending his chances of taking over at United.
Luis Enrique with the Champions League trophy
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Luis Enrique has twice won the Champions League during his managerial career(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The reports were given weight by United author Andy Mitten, who took to X in 2025 with high praise for Enrique. He said: “Luis Enrique is a genius. He was as a player and he is as a coach. He should’ve become MUFC manager in ’22, but the timings weren’t right as he was at Spain ahead of the World Cup.”
However, the PSG manager is now said to be one of the candidates United are looking at to take over this summer, should the 55-year-old step down from the French side.
Thomas Tuchel
United explored a move for Thomas Tuchel several months before appointing Amorim. Tuchel agreed terms with England in the autumn of 2024 and ultimately took charge in January 2025. According to The Athletic, United were still considering Tuchel a fortnight after their cup final win over City in 2024.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel
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England head coach Thomas Tuchel(Image: 2026 The FA)
The German even said to have met with United chiefs in Monaco but didn’t reach an agreement and is said not to have been prepared to return to football so soon after leaving Bayern Munich.
The former Chelsea coach has since signed an extension with England that will see him lead the Three Lions into the 2028 European Championships.
Roberto De Zerbi
The highly-rated Italian has recently departed Marseille, with several clubs said to be keeping a close eye on him. De Zerbi’s impressive spell at Brighton during his two years on the south coast reportedly caught United’s attention before they approached Amorim.
However, Zerbi’s talks reportedly stalled after the Italian rejected an initial United offer and an improved offer didn’t arrive. De Zerbi is no longer believed to be in the running for the United job.
The 46-year-old is said to be ‘relishing’ the prospect of taking over at Tottenham, however, with their own interim boss, Igor Tudor, under immense pressure.
