Gary Neville names his 'outstanding candidate' to become next Man Utd manager

Gary Neville believes Manchester United’s board face a ‘momentous decision’ (Sky Sports)

Gary Neville has named Carlo Ancelotti as his ‘outstanding candidate’ to become the next Manchester United manager.

After sacking Ruben Amorim on Monday, United have held talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick over an interim role until the end of the season .

Roy Keane has already named Eddie Howe as his preferred choice to become United’s next permanent manager , but Neville believes Ancelotti, who is currently Brazil’s head coach, is the standout name.

‘The outstanding candidate for me would be Carlo Ancelotti, even if it would mean potentially delaying his arrival until late July if Brazil reached the World Cup final,’ Neville told The Overlap.

‘No-one comes as close to fulfilling everything laid out above than he does. Ironically the club met with Carlo shortly before his retirement in 2013 and we could have short circuited this entire process and started with him at the beginning of the cycle. But by that stage he was close to agreeing to joining Real Madrid for his first spell in charge and so what might have been a perfect appointment never happened.

Carlo Ancelotti will lead Brazil at the World Cup this summer (Reuters)

‘After Ancelotti, the next two on my short list would be Thomas Tuchel and Eddie Howe , Roy Keane ’s suggestion and one of the names suggested by Ashworth in 2024.

‘Again, these are two candidates who know the Premier League inside out and who both have Champions League experience. Howe now has a major trophy as well.

Gary Neville believes Thomas Tuchel should also be in the frame for the Manchester United job(The FA via Getty)

‘Obviously Tuchel edges it in terms of experience and the quality of the trophies he has won, with Champions League, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 his biggest achievements. He also reached a Champions League final with PSG. He might have played a back three at times but he is sufficiently adaptable to fit the United DNA and plays with a back four with England.

‘What is certain is that whatever the issues, however dysfunctional the club has been in the past and however tricky the task seems, any manager would be excited to take that call from United.

‘United remains a massive football institution, albeit failing on the pitch at present. But at some stage, the tanker will start turning and glory will return to Old Trafford. But much depends on what happens in the next few months and this momentous decision.’