Manchester United Consider Antonio Conte as Carrick's Successor
Manchester United have sounded out Antonio Conte as a potential successor to Michael Carrick – but, for now, the message from INEOS is clear: the manager is staying put.
Carrick, confirmed as permanent United boss at the end of last season after steering the club back into the Champions League for 2026/27, has endured a stuttering start to the new Premier League campaign. Four points from four games is a thin return for a squad rebuilt at significant expense and under fresh ownership scrutiny.
The tension is obvious. So is the intrigue.
Conte at the top of the list
In Italy, the drums are beating. The September 15 print edition of Corriere della Sera reports that United’s co-owners, INEOS, have identified Conte as their leading candidate if they decide to move on from Carrick. The story has been echoed by SportWitness and CalcioMercato, who also place the former Chelsea boss at the top of United’s shortlist.
Conte, 57, is currently out of work after leaving Napoli at the end of last season. He is understood to be waiting for the right project before stepping back into club management, and his CV explains why elite clubs keep circling.
Ten major trophies. A Premier League title with Chelsea in 2016/17. Three straight Serie A crowns with Juventus in 2012, 2013 and 2014. A Scudetto with Inter Milan in 2021. Another Italian championship with Napoli in 2025. Wherever he goes, domestic leagues tend to bend his way.
For a club wrestling with identity and standards, the idea of Conte on the Old Trafford touchline is an obvious temptation.
INEOS back Carrick – for now
Yet the noise from Italy meets a very different line from those closest to the current regime. According to Fabrizio Romano, INEOS are not preparing to sack Carrick at this stage and remain convinced he can lead the project.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano outlined the ownership’s stance: United still believe the future under Carrick will be “bright”, despite the slow start and the meagre points tally in the league.
That belief extends to the summer window, where United pushed for a left-back but ultimately walked away when they could not find what they considered the right profile at the right price. The club, Romano explained, did not want to make a signing simply to say they had done business. They chose patience instead of panic.
Inside the camp, Carrick is said to be just as firm in his convictions. The optimism he projects in public – his insistence that the team will come good over the coming weeks and months, particularly after the international break – mirrors what he is telling the hierarchy behind closed doors.
United’s Champions League campaign has at least started on the right foot, with a win in their opening group game easing some pressure. But the Premier League table is far less forgiving, and the margin for error is shrinking.
Conte waits. Carrick believes. INEOS, for now, are standing in the middle – backing their man while knowing exactly who is at the top of the list if that faith starts to crack.
