Man Utd: Elite manager ‘reaching an agreement’ to replace Carrick as he decides to ‘gladly accept call’
According to reports, Antonio Conte is in the process of ‘reaching an agreement’ to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United.
Conte is regarded as one of the best managers in Europe, though he has been out of work since leaving Serie A giants Napoli at the end of last season.
The serial winner has previously had spells in the Premier League with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and he is now linked with a move to Man Utd.
This is partly because Man Utd have had a poor start to the 2026/27 campaign. They have only picked up six points from their first six games and have exited the Carabao Cup.
Carrick arguably wasn’t backed enough in the summer transfer window, but he is not getting nearly enough out of Man Utd’s squad and his tactical deficiencies have been on show at the start of this season.
READ: 16 Conclusions from Manchester United 1-1 Spurs: Carrick sack, De Zerbi, Fernandes no-show, Savio
Man Utd and Carrick now face a potentially decisive week with away matches against Atletico Madrid and Leeds United after slumping to a disappointing 1-1 home draw against 10-man Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
Antonio Conte is ‘reaching an agreement’ with Man Utd
This has fuelled reports linking Man Utd with several potential replacements, including Conte.
Conte has even publicly flirted with Man Utd, having outlined his vision for how he would go about fixing the club if he replaced Carrick.
It has been widely reported that Man Utd are not yet planning to sack Carrick, but the Italian media are jumping the gun and running with the story of Conte joining the Red Devils.
Italian journalist Enzo Bucchioni has now claimed that Conte, who is also linked with a return to Juventus’, is in the process of ‘reaching an agreement’ with Man Utd.
Bucchioni said in his TuttoMercatoWeb column: “Meanwhile, for the record and for all Juventus fans (there are many) still hoping for Antonio Conte’s return, the former Juventus manager is reaching an agreement with Manchester United, who have had a poor start to the Premier League season…”
Italian outlet Calciomercato, meanwhile, have claimed that Man Utd are ‘seriously considering sacking’ Carrick, while Conte ‘would gladly accept the call’ to replace him.
For now, though, this needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, and ex-United striker Teddy Sheringham has explained why he cannot see Conte joining Man Utd.
“Would a manager like Diego Simeone or Antonio Conte ever be an option for Manchester United? Probably not, no,” Sheringham told Hajper.
READ MORE: Carrick out: ‘Pathetic’ Man Utd star ‘another stick to beat him with’ as Conte called for
“They’re too pragmatic. We saw Jose Mourinho try and play his way at United and it just didn’t work for me, and I think Conte and Simeone would be the same.
“They’d definitely get that workmanlike effort and structure into the team, which we had under Sir Alex Ferguson, but there’s a big difference between what you ask your players to do defensively and understanding the need to play another way when you have the ball.
“Fergie understood United as a club. He knew the heritage of the Busby Babes and what supporters wanted to see in how their team should play. I don’t think Simeone would understand that or want to understand that if it meant having to change his methods and play a more expansive style of football.
“Managers know what they know and they know what works for him, and he would only come to Manchester United if he could be his own person, and I just don’t see how that could work.”
