Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have been told to keep a close eye on one Manchester United managerial candidate, despite Michael Carrick’s success at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick was only intended to be an interim head coach appointment for the 2025-26 Premier League campaign after Ruben Amorim was sacked by the club.
Ruben Amorim’s exit from Manchester United paved the way for the ‘unexpected’ to happen, which was Carrick to be in contention for the permanent managerial role.
Carrick’s 15-match ‘audition’ period in the current Premier League has already yielded one major outcome, with United securing Champions League qualification.
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Paul Merson’s conflicting feelings around Michael Carrick vs Luis Enrique show the Man Utd challenge ahead
Michael Carrick might be one of the people who could very much end up succeeding Ruben Amorim as the next Manchester United manager at Old Trafford.
However, the pathway remains unclear for the 44-year-old Red Devils interim head coach, especially with the likes of Luis Enrique having their name tossed into the circle.
Luis Enrique has been linked with Manchester United and the 56-year-old Spaniard’s body of work at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain makes him incredibly desirable.
Paul Merson said that he thinks Carrick should have his chance at United, but even he would walk back on that idea if PSG boss Enrique became available this summer.
“Obviously, the million-dollar question is whether Michael Carrick should be given the managerial job on a permanent basis,” he said in his Sportskeeda column.
“I think he deserves it. But I also have another thought in my mind.
“If Luis Enrique wins the Champions League again this season, he would have won that trophy twice and in back-to-back years.
“Ligue 1 is an absolute ‘give-me’ [sic] league as well. I wonder what else does he have to achieve at PSG then?
“If there is a possibility of him wanting to embrace a new challenge, Manchester United should be ready to pounce.”
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Every major pundit seems to pick Luis Enrique over Michael Carrick for Man Utd, despite not looking at what Ineos should do
Whether it is Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane or Merson, Luis Enrique’s name has popped up in some way, shape or form over the Man Utd managerial role.
However, the very same narrative around Enrique’s ‘availability’ is not that far around the corner when it comes to him leaving PSG and heading to United.
The decision to wait for an opening for Enrique — and that is if he does become available — leaves continued uncertainty around the Red Devils in the short term.
Carrick’s time is ticking at Man Utd as interim boss and the last thing Ineos need to do is undermine his credibility by only turning to him if Enrique does not leave PSG.
Enrique is an elite, world-class manager with an abundance of experience behind him — there is no denying that — but PSG are equally keen to keep him at all costs.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos regime must show conviction by throwing their support behind the next Man Utd manager and build a long-term project with them.
If Ineos really wanted Enrique, then they would have thrown the kitchen sink at him in the last few months ahead of PSG potentially tying him down to a new contract.
Do the right thing, Ineos, and don’t be left red-faced by waiting for a potentially non-existent Enrique window to ‘pounce on’ and instead appoint Carrick permanently.
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