Nagelsmann Frontrunner for Man Utd Job if Carrick Goes

Julian Nagelsmann is expected to be the frontrunner for the Manchester United job if Michael Carrick is sacked, and the former Germany and Bayern Munich boss would listen to an approach from Old Trafford, according to The Telegraph.

United's miserable start to the season hit a new low on Wednesday night with a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como — a seventh game without a win, and just a second victory in 11 matches in all competitions. Carrick remains in post, and United insisted on Thursday morning that they remain fully behind him, but the succession planning has clearly begun.

Nagelsmann leads the list — Conte does not

As TEAMtalk summarised the Telegraph's reporting, United chiefs are far more likely to appoint Nagelsmann than Antonio Conte if a change is made. The 39-year-old is viewed as a frontrunner and a leading candidate, and he is keen on the role.

Nagelsmann is a free agent after leaving the Germany job following his country's last-32 exit at the World Cup, beaten by Paraguay on penalties. He speaks perfect English, has previously attracted strong interest from Tottenham and Chelsea, and is keen to work in the Premier League.

Crucially, he already has a powerful backer inside Old Trafford. Director of recruitment Christopher Vivell has pushed for Nagelsmann, having worked successfully with him at RB Leipzig — and Vivell was also at Chelsea when the London club considered appointing him in 2023.

Conte, by contrast, has fallen away. Representatives have lobbied for the former Chelsea and Tottenham head coach, but Football365 reported that he does not feature prominently in United's thinking because he would not fit the structure the club are determined to adopt. Eddie Howe and Brighton's Fabian Hurzeler have also been linked with the job.

Why Carrick is running out of road

The numbers are brutal. United have won one of their seven Premier League games, sit 20th of 36 in the Champions League league phase, and were dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton. Wednesday's humiliation in Como was their fourth defeat in seven matches.

Worse for Carrick, the criticism is now coming from inside the dressing room. Captain Bruno Fernandes questioned Carrick's tactics after the Como defeat, and Jamie Carragher has already labelled the appointment a mismatch. When your captain and the country's loudest pundit are saying the same thing, a manager is in serious trouble.

United's public position, relayed by Sky Sports' Transfer Centre, is that Carrick keeps their backing — with the club accepting their own summer business let him down. But that support now comes with an obvious condition attached.

So what does this mean?

Sunday's home game against Bournemouth now looks decisive. United have not beaten the Cherries in more than three years, and another failure at Old Trafford, in front of an increasingly restless crowd, would make the "backing" impossible to sustain. There is an argument for giving Carrick until the November international break — but arguments like that rarely survive another home defeat.

If the change comes, the Telegraph's reporting tells you the direction of travel: United want a bigger name and a stronger personality, but one who works inside their structure rather than fighting it. That is precisely why Nagelsmann, at 39 one of the most tactically admired coaches in Europe, sits above Conte on the list.

Beyond the Final Whistle: Naming a frontrunner before a sacking is not indecision — it is a warning. United are telling Carrick, in public, that his replacement has already been identified and is willing to come. Managers almost never survive that story for long. Win against Bournemouth and he buys weeks; lose, and the Nagelsmann era may begin before November.

Should United sack Carrick now and move for Nagelsmann, or give him until the international break? Let us know what you think in the comments.