Manchester United are reportedly less convinced about Eddie Howe than widely believed, with Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness emerging as a highly rated contender to succeed Michael Carrick.
According to the Independent, United are 'much less sold' on the former Bournemouth manager, who left Newcastle in the summer and would be a popular choice among some fans. The same report says Hoeness is highly rated by the club.
Carrick under pressure despite Roma win
Carrick remains on thin ice following a torrid start to the season, despite the comeback victory over Roma in the Champions League. He had been expected to be sacked after the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth before being given more time to turn things around following crunch talks between United chiefs.
Victory over Aston Villa on Sunday should buy him more time, while defeat could push him closer to the exit door. Numerous big names have been linked to the job, including Howe, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann.
Hoeness's stock rising
Hoeness's stock is high after leading Stuttgart to Champions League qualification and Germany Cup glory since inheriting a side in relegation danger in 2023. Hiring the 44-year-old would draw parallels with the appointment of Ruben Amorim, who was on a similar upward curve with Sporting CP before his spell at Old Trafford.
Preference for permanent successor
United are reportedly determined to end their cycle of caretaker managers if they decide to part ways with Carrick. Temporary appointments have become a familiar fallback at Old Trafford in recent times.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer originally stepped in on an interim basis before earning the permanent role, while Ralf Rangnick was brought in to see out the campaign following the Norwegian's dismissal in November 2021. Carrick himself had a spell as caretaker over the second half of last season.
According to Sky Sports, director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada would prefer a permanent successor over another short-term fix if they decide to dispense with Carrick, who, for now, has the club's backing.
Carrick urges improvement
Carrick is urging the team to build on the morale-lifting win over Roma when they face Villa. He said: "It was a fantastic night as a one-off night. It was a good night for us all, but nothing has been achieved yet. It's one moment we need to use to move forward."
"When you watch the game [against Roma] back, the first half wasn't so bad. There were moments when we left ourselves short, and we need to fix them."
"The first half against Chelsea was very good. We're showing signs of improvement, no doubt, and we need to take that forward."
