Despite an encouraging few months at Manchester United Football Club, there is still a sense of uncertainty currently hanging over the horizon.
The Red Devils have a big time ahead of them on and off the pitch, with many situations that desperately need to be resolved ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Work has been done behind the scenes to improve the playing squad, which could help strengthen the club’s chances of returning to the top of the Premier League.
However, it has not yet been decided who will be the manager who will lead the Red Devils next season, and interim coach Michael Carrick is at Old Trafford until the end of the season.
The next few weeks could be crucial for the 44-year-old’s long-term future in Manchester, as news has emerged about the hunt for a new permanent manager in recent days.
Man Utd are in talks to hire a European manager to replace Carrick
Following the departure of Ruben Amorim in January, former United player Carrick was handed the manager’s role on an interim basis – and has done an impressive job in recent weeks.
He has now won seven of his first ten games in charge at Manchester, with an impressive run that has taken the Red Devils into third place and boosted their chances of Champions League football in 2026/27.
It is unclear whether the 44-year-old will be given a full-time job this summer, but first team star Amad Diallo has said he wants Carrick to continue playing.
However, wherever the current players are from, the board has been conducting work elsewhere in recent weeks – leading them in the direction of Xabi Alonso.
According to FootballTransfers, the Red Devils board has been in contact with the Spanish player’s representatives regarding his departure after being sacked by Real Madrid in January.
The report also claims the 44-year-old is eyeing a job in the Premier League, which could fuel United’s efforts to secure his services this summer.
However, they will have to act quickly to land the former Bayer Leverkusen manager, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City also keen to sign him.
Why Alonso will be United’s Klopp
United going 13 years without a Premier League trophy was painful enough, but seeing rivals Liverpool flourish during that time made things even worse for fans.
Jürgen Klopp has been the man to put the Merseyside outfit back on the map and turn them into Premier League and Champions League contenders.
The German won each of the aforementioned competitions once during his nine years at Anfield, and managed to avoid defeat in 77% of his games against the Red Devils.
His success with Liverpool has undoubtedly left United fans wishing they had a manager of the 58-year-old’s stature – especially given their struggles in recent seasons.
However, despite Carrick’s impact in recent weeks, managers should look to replace Alonso this summer – with the Spaniard capable of becoming his own version of Klopp.
He could emulate the German by moving to the Premier League after flourishing in the Bundesliga, both of whom won the division during their time at Borussia Dortmund and Leverkusen.
As with Klopp’s arrival, the Red Devils need a reset and fresh ideas, with a free agent manager capable of making the club strong again.
His recent time in Madrid may have been short, but he managed to achieve a 71% win rate at the Bernabeu – but such time was nothing to his success at the BayArena.
|
Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
|
Games |
140 |
|
It wins |
89 |
|
Drawings |
32 |
|
Defeat |
19 |
|
Goals were scored |
315 |
|
Goals scored |
155 |
|
Points per game |
2.14 |
Alonso won Leverkusen the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, and managed to do so while remaining unbeaten and avoiding defeat in all 34 league outings.
His ability to claim title glory will no doubt have a major impact on his talks with United in recent weeks, with the club aiming to end their drought when he is appointed.
Fans have been hungry for continued success at Old Trafford over the past decade, and Alonso is undoubtedly the right man to take over ahead of next season.
Opting for the Spaniard over Carrick would be a controversial decision given the Englishman’s influence, but a move for the former Leverkusen boss will see the club win the series.
He has already proven in his short managerial career that he can thrive when faced with adversity – something United fans will be looking for very soon.
If he is to move to the Premier League and make the same impact as Klopp in England’s top flight – there is no reason why the Red Devils can’t be a force to be reckoned with again.
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