Next Manchester United Manager Odds – Who Will Replace Michael Carrick?

Eddie Howe left Newcastle United in July 2026 after nearly five years at St. James’ Park. During that time, he transformed the Magpies into Champions League contenders and ended their 70-year domestic trophy drought by winning the 2025 EFL Cup.

The Englishman also has extensive Premier League experience with Bournemouth and Newcastle. He knows how to build a competitive squad, develop players, and handle the pressure that comes with managing a club with passionate supporters.

However, Howe’s final season at Newcastle ended with a disappointing 12th-place finish. There are also questions about whether he can handle the even greater expectations at Old Trafford.

Still, Howe is reportedly interested in the United job, and his availability makes him an attractive option. He is one of the most experienced names in the market and is unlikely to turn United down. If you add the rumors that Howe’s is Jason Wilcox’ preferred option, it’s easy to see why Howe is favored for the job.

Nagelsmann is another leading candidate after leaving the German national team following its disappointing exit from the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old previously managed Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig, and Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga with Bayern in 2022.

He’s known for his tactical flexibility, aggressive pressing, and willingness to develop young players. That could be exactly what United need after struggling to establish a clear identity under several managers.

Nagelsmann also has a connection with United’s head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, from their time together at RB Leipzig. That relationship could give him an advantage in the hiring process.

However, Nagelsmann has never managed in the Premier League. He also had a difficult ending at Bayern Munich, raising questions about how he’d handle the pressure at United.

Conte certainly knows how to win trophies. The Italian has claimed league titles with Juventus, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Napoli, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most successful managers.

His Premier League experience is another major selling point. Conte won the title with Chelsea in 2016-17 and later managed Tottenham, so he knows exactly what it takes to compete in English soccer.

However, Conte has a reputation for clashing with club executives over transfers and squad decisions. Given United’s recent problems behind the scenes, that could be a recipe for another messy breakup.

There’s no doubting Conte’s ability, but I’m not convinced he’s the right long-term fit. His odds to manage Manchester United are tempting, but I think he would come in and cause even more of a stir. The board knows this, so I don’t expect to see Conte at the helm.

Emery has done an outstanding job at Aston Villa since arriving in October 2022. The Spaniard transformed Villa into European contenders, winning the 2025-26 Europa League and securing a fourth-place Premier League finish.

His trophy collection is impressive, including four Europa League titles across spells with Sevilla and Villarreal before his latest triumph with Villa. He also won Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Emery’s previous experience at Arsenal didn’t go according to plan. There’s also the small matter of his contract with Villa, which runs until 2029. United could face a substantial compensation bill to secure his services.

I think Emery would be an excellent appointment, but his commitment to Villa makes him a difficult target. At +800, he’s an interesting outsider rather than my preferred pick.

Furthermore, his experience in trying to rebuild a struggling giant didn’t go well last time, so he will be reluctant to leave a good Vila job for United in the middle of the season. I don’t think the Man U executives will be ready to wait until the summer, as the season is still young and they will likely try to appoint someone soon.

McKenna has strong ties to Manchester United, having previously worked as an assistant coach under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ralf Rangnick. He also built an impressive reputation at Ipswich Town, guiding the club from League One to the Premier League in 2025-26.

The 40-year-old left Ipswich in June 2026 to take a break from management, but his attacking philosophy and ability to develop young players could make him an attractive option for United.

However, McKenna recently admitted he’s in no rush to return to coaching. United could also face a compensation fee of around £7 million ($9.3 million in USD) to appoint him.

At +1200 in the next Manchester United manager odds, McKenna offers an intriguing option, especially given his Old Trafford connections. However, I’m not convinced he’s ready to jump back into one of the most demanding jobs in English soccer.

Fabian Hürzeler has built an impressive reputation since taking over at Brighton in 2024. The German became the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history at just 31 and quickly proved he belonged at the highest level.

He guided Brighton to consecutive eighth-place finishes in 2024-25 and 2025-26, with the latter securing European qualification. Before that, he led St. Pauli to promotion to the Bundesliga.

Hürzeler favors an aggressive, possession-based style that could excite United supporters. However, he’s still relatively inexperienced, and reports suggest he isn’t interested in leaving Brighton, who are third in the Premier League right now.

There could be potential value, but convincing him to make the move could be difficult. I don’t see him ditching the Brighton project before the summer, which is another argument against backing him.