Michael Carrick is under increasing pressure at Manchester United ahead of the Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, with reports in Italy suggesting Antonio Conte tops the club's managerial shortlist. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are reportedly growing more confident of signing wantaway youngster JJ Gabriel.
Conte 'tops replacement list'
According to Calciomercato IT, United have made 'initial contact' with Conte's representatives and are assessing his interest in the role, should it become available. Conte is out of work after leaving Napoli at the end of last season and has said he would be interested in returning to work with a fallen giant.
There is also reported interest from Juventus, where Conte managed between 2011 and 2014, but the United role is said to interest the 57-year-old more. Speaking to The Athletic recently, Conte said: "If you go to a club where the history speaks for itself - a history made up of trophies, league titles and victories - you can only honour that history in one way: by having the ambition to bring that club back, if it isn't there today, to fight for those goals."
Real confidence over Gabriel
Real Madrid are increasingly confident of signing JJ Gabriel. The 16-year-old, who had been close to making his senior debut, rocked United last month by asking the club to release him amid interest from the likes of Real, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
While United can stop him from joining another Premier League club this season, as he holds an EU passport, there is a mechanism for him to join a European club. According to Madrid-based reporter Jose Felix Diaz, a final decision on Gabriel is looming, with Los Blancos believing they are leading the race to sign the teenager, who has made La Liga his first-choice destination.
There seems to be growing acceptance at United that Gabriel will soon move on. Asked last week if there had been any change to the situation during the international break, Carrick said: "No, nothing's changed at all."
