Romano ‘guarantees’ Man Utd looking at two names for next permanent manager – one has won the Champions League

Fabrizio Romano is insistent Manchester United will look closely at two specific managers when hiring a permanent boss in the summer, and both do tick a critical box in the club’s mind.

Michael Carrick has taken temporary charge at Man Utd , with the 44-year-old hired as Ruben Amorim’s immediate successor after beating Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a head-to-head race.

Multiple reports state club legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, favoured Carrick getting a shot over Solskjaer returning.

TEAMtalk understands Carrick already has grand ambitions of convincing the board he’s worthy of a longer run and being appointed as United’s permanent manager in the summer.

Whether that happens from his perspective will hinge largely on how he and his side perform in the second half of the season. Man Utd believe qualifying for the Champions League is a realistic aim. Should that not happen, Carrick’s chances will diminish greatly.

With Carrick now in place, Man Utd have initiated the early phases of the process of hiring their next permanent boss.

A decision on that front won’t be made any time soon, though a handful of names who’ll definitely come under consideration are already circulating.

Taking to YouTube to provide his take on the situation, trusted reporter, Fabrizio Romano, confirmed England boss Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi of Marseille already feature prominently on United’s shortlist.

“Two names I can guarantee will be considered by INEOS are Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi,” declared Romano.

“Today [I’ve received] many questions on De Zerbi. Let me clarify again, Tuchel is fully focused on England of course, and nothing can be agreed while there is a World Cup coming in the summer, so eventually after that.

“De Zerbi is doing a great job at Marseille , his focus is on Marseille . But these two managers were on the list at Man Utd in the summer of 2024.

“They decided to continue with Erik ten Hag, but before that at that point, they met with De Zerbi and Tuchel.

“So let’s see what’s going to happen with the season. I’m sure the list will include more names, not just these two, but these two are appreciated.”

Romano concluded by noting Man Utd’s hunt for a new permanent manager will be a “long process”, and with Carrick now safely installed as interim manager, United will not rush into a decision on who takes the reins next.

The one thing Tuchel and De Zerbi both have in common is Premier League experience.

That is something United are placing great emphasis on with their next hire after the last two permanent bosses – Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim – both flopped badly.

Tuchel has also proven his worth in Europe, famously winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021.

De Zerbi, meanwhile, earned rave reviews for the style of play he implemented at Brighton and since joining Marseille , has established the club as a genuine challenger to PSG in Ligue 1.

Others we can reveal are under consideration at Old Trafford include Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola and Mauricio Pochettino. Again, all of those candidates have experience in England’s top flight.

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In other news, prior comments made by Michael Carrick strongly suggest he’ll make a painfully under-used Manchester United star a focal point in his team .