Manchester United preparing to replace Michael Carrick with managerial phenom who is ‘waiting by the phone’

The end could be nigh for Michael Carrick at Manchester United, with the club keen to secure a new manager.

While the legend has undeniably made an impact with the team, he’s lacking the experience that his potential replacement brings to the table.

Antonio Conte is waiting for a call from Manchester United

Yesterday’s print edition of Corriere della Sera, as relayed by SportWitness and CalcioMercato, reported that Manchester United were interested in securing the services of Antonio Conte.

Since then, the situation has developed significantly. Now, il Corriere dello Sport has revealed the potential move is gathering pace at a rapid rate, claiming that the coach is ‘waiting by the phone’.

Conte, who turned down the opportunity to take on the head coach role of the Italian national side and rejected the chance to take on the reins at Fenerbahce, is waiting for the right fit to return to management. And by the sound of things, the potential of a crack at coaching one of the biggest clubs in world football has whetted his appetite.

When Michael Carrick came in last January, he instantly injected a feeling of positivity, with the squad responding positively to his methods, ultimately finishing third in the Premier League.

However, the start of the 2026/27 season hasn’t exactly gone according to plan, with his team winning just one of four league matches.

Will Manchester United sack Michael Carrick

While rumours are rife about the possibility of United bringing in Conte, for now, according to Fabrizio Romano, the club still believes Carrick can turn things around.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the football aficionado explained: “Man Utd absolutely remain convinced that the future will be bright under Michael Carrick.

“Manchester United absolutely know that maybe the point about the summer transfer window was to add one more player, a left-back. They tried. It was not possible to proceed with the right options.

“United didn’t want to sign just to say: ‘Ok, we signed one.’ They wanted to be convinced about the player they were going to sign, and so that’s why nothing happened.

“But they maintain total faith and confidence in Michael Carrick. They only have four points in four Premier League games, so obviously this is disappointing in terms of results, but Man Utd remain convinced about that.

“Carrick remains absolutely convinced too. What Carrick says in public – ‘We are going to do very well, I am confident, this team is good’ and all the rest – is what he’s saying to the club.

“Carrick remains absolutely convinced that this team can do very well in the next weeks and months, especially after the break. So that’s the feeling of Michael Carrick.”

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