The Telegraph Football reports that former Germany and Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann keen on the role as pressure mounts on United hierarchy to halt decline.
Julian Nagelsmann would listen to an approach from Manchester United, with the former Germany and Bayern Munich manager expected to be a leading candidate for the job if Michael Carrick is sacked.
The shocking 4-1 defeat away to Como in the Champions League, followed by criticism from United captain Bruno Fernandes, has piled the pressure on Carrick.
United have supported Carrick, despite a disastrous start to the season with just two wins in 11 games in all competitions and none in their last seven fixtures, but that faith is now being tested.
The expectation from outside Old Trafford is that United will start to give serious consideration to their options in case the club are forced to sack Carrick and make a managerial change.
Carrick and the players arrived back at Manchester airport in the early hours of Thursday morning. He has not reported at the Carrington training ground today with the players off.
Nagelsmann, who is currently out of work, is believed to be one of the leading candidates United would consider and Telegraph Sport can reveal that he would listen to a proposal from the club.
The 39-year-old has previously been linked with United and speaks perfect English. He has been the subject of strong interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the past, and is keen to work in the Premier League.
Christopher Vivell was technical director at Chelsea when the London club looked at Nagelsmann and Vivell is now director of recruitment at United. The pair previously worked together at RB Leipzig.
Vivell is not expected to be the man who picks United’s next manager if the club do make a change, but his association with Nagelsmann is a boost to the 39-year-old’s candidacy.
Nagelsmann is believed to have held concerns over Chelsea’s structure and recruitment in 2023 and it is likely he would want assurances over those issues if he was approached by United.
United’s recruitment has come under heavy scrutiny under director of football Jason Wilcox, amid accusations that there is not enough football knowledge amongst the club’s key decision makers.
Nagelsmann is a free agent after leaving his role as Germany head coach following their disappointing World Cup campaign in the summer and was at his former club Bayern Munich to watch the Champions League game against Arsenal on Wednesday night.
If United do make a change it will be the third managerial appointment in three years made in mid-season – which is an indictment of the club and the way they are run.
It is understood that representatives have already lobbied for former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur head coach Antonio Conte, but that the Italian does not feature prominently in United’s considerations. It is argued he would not fit into the structure the club are determined to adopt.
Other than Nagelsmann, United are also admirers of another young German coach – Brighton & Hove Albion’s Fabian Hurzeler – although the 33-year-old has been tracked, up until now, as a future manager rather than an immediate option.