Manchester United may need to act quickly in their pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann, with RB Leipzig reportedly 'strongly interested' in bringing the German manager back to the club.
Nagelsmann is among the leading candidates linked with the Old Trafford role as Michael Carrick faces mounting pressure just months after being appointed on a permanent basis. United have won only two of their opening 11 games across all competitions, and Bruno Fernandes publicly criticised Carrick's tactics after Wednesday's 4-1 defeat at Como.
Carrick is expected to lead the team for Sunday's Premier League match against Bournemouth, but another poor result could trigger his dismissal as the club's hierarchy considers replacements.
Interest from Leipzig
According to Sky Germany, RB Leipzig are 'strongly interested' in Nagelsmann, who previously spent two seasons with the Red Bull-owned club. During his tenure, he guided Leipzig to the Champions League semi-finals in his first season and finished runner-up in the Bundesliga and German Cup the following campaign.
Leipzig have had a mixed start under new head coach Martin Demichelis, winning three and losing three Bundesliga matches, most recently suffering a 6-1 defeat to Bayern. They have also struggled in the Champions League, with heavy losses to Como and Real Madrid.
Nagelsmann's situation
The 39-year-old has been out of work since resigning as Germany head coach in July after the team's World Cup exit in the round of 32 against Paraguay. Reports suggest he would be interested in the United job, and the chance to manage in the Premier League appeals to him.
However, his former Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn has cautioned against the move. 'From his perspective, it's not an easy situation,' Kahn told Sky Germany. 'He isn't someone with extensive experience at the very highest level, particularly when it comes to foreign clubs. The Premier League and Manchester United haven't exactly been known for their managerial stability in recent years.'
Kahn added: 'He really has to ask himself: What should my next step be? Does it have to be the right move? Or do I immediately tie myself to an enormous risk like Manchester United, where virtually every manager has sooner or later failed in recent years?'
Other names linked with the United job include Unai Emery and Eddie Howe, while Fabian Hurzeler and Antonio Conte have publicly distanced themselves from the role.
