Michael Carrick issues response to rumours Man Utd looking at other managers as Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner & Julian Nagelsmann all linked

United directors are currently conducting a comprehensive search for a permanent head coach, with high-profile names such as Iraola, Glasner, and Nagelsmann all under consideration. While Carrick remains the firm favourite after securing 32 points from just 14 matches, the club is evaluating all options to ensure long-term stability at Old Trafford. This measured approach allows the hierarchy to conduct a full process before making a final decision on the managerial hot seat for the 2026-27 season.

Addressing the speculation surrounding his potential successors, Carrick insisted that the ongoing process has not affected his leadership or the team's preparation. He said: "No, genuinely not. Whether it's discussed or not discussed, it hasn't bothered me. It hasn't changed how I go about it. I've been confident in the work that we're doing and working with the players and leading the club, so it literally hasn't had any effect on me at all no. I think it's pretty obvious it's going to be a process, obviously from the outset in terms of finding someone to fill the position in the end."

With senior figures like Casemiro and Matheus Cunha publicly backing his appointment, Carrick believes that true leadership is reflected in the team's collective performances on the pitch. He said: "I think as a coach or manager, you're only a leader of a group if people want to follow you. It's not a thing that you can talk about so much, it's actions that prove that.

"So when I feel the support and I feel that the boys are all connected – not so much with me, but showing it together on the pitch – that’s the most important thing. They've clearly shown that in different ways, and that's the most pleasing thing. It's satisfying when you can see them putting it together as a team."

United travel to face Sunderland this weekend boasting a formidable historical record, having lost just one of their 15 Premier League visits to the Stadium of Light. While the immediate focus is on maintaining this dominance, Carrick has already begun contemplating the club’s future trajectory, and said: "Of course it’s something that has crossed my mind; leaving it in a place at the end of the season where if it was me or somebody else, it's there to take even further. There's always things that maybe we can do a little bit better, or we'll improve on, or maybe go in a different direction. That's just part of evolving."