Antonio Conte has informed Manchester United that he would be willing to replace Michael Carrick as Red Devils head coach, according to reports.
Carrick had a brilliant spell in charge as caretaker manager last term, which saw him help Manchester United finish third in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League. That form earned him the job on a permanent basis, but many supporters and observers believe the club failed to back him properly in the summer transfer market.
Manchester United have won just one of their first six Premier League matches this season, earning only six points from those fixtures. Carrick was already under pressure after a 1-1 draw against ten-man Tottenham over the weekend, and a 2-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League has raised further concerns. In the aftermath of the loss in Spain, Lisandro Martinez was punished after he blamed the club’s start to the new season on poor recruitment.
Romano outlines Conte’s position
There have been rumours for weeks that Conte, the former Napoli head coach who has also managed Chelsea and Tottenham, could replace Carrick if Manchester United decide to change direction in the coming weeks. Speaking earlier this week, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Italian is ready to take over at a historic club as soon as possible.
Romano said on his YouTube channel that Conte, Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are all managers linked with the Manchester United job should the club opt for a change. He stressed, however, that there is nothing advanced, concrete or serious between Conte and Manchester United at this stage.
Romano also noted a significant shift in Conte’s approach. In the past, Conte has preferred to wait for a new season, complete a pre-season and build his own squad. This time, he would be open to taking a job mid-season. Romano added that Conte does not want to move to the Middle East simply to collect money and return to Europe later. Instead, he wants to remain in Europe with a club that has a big history and wants to return to its former level, a view Conte expressed in an interview a few days earlier.
Conte ready to replace Carrick
TEAMtalk reported on Thursday that the former Napoli coach is ready to take charge of Manchester United immediately, and that intermediaries working with Conte have renewed contact with the club’s hierarchy to reiterate his interest.
talkSPORT has since backed up that story, claiming Conte has told Manchester United he is open to replacing Carrick at Old Trafford as soon as possible. Its report adds that representatives of Conte have told United they would be interested in taking over should Carrick be dismissed.