Next Man Utd permanent manager: Luis Enrique identified as THE perfect choice to sort out 'rollercoaster' Red Devils as former midfielder urges INEOS to go all out for PSG boss

No permanent appointment will be made by United until the summer, with Michael Carrick having taken over from caretaker manager Darren Fletcher on an interim basis. He has been charged with the task of delivering European qualification for a club that has hit a 111-year low in the 2025-26 campaign.

Carrick could work his way into contention for an extended stay, but the expectation is that a more experienced tactician will be sought. United have been linked with the likes of Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate, Enzo Maresca and Mauricio Pochettino.

Enrique’s name has also been added to the pot, with the passionate Spaniard having enjoyed considerable success across spells in charge of Barcelona and PSG. The 55-year-old has shown that he can operate under pressure and deliver on big ambition - while keeping everybody happy.

With that in mind, ex-Red Devils star Kleberson - speaking in association with BetVictor Online Casino - told GOAL when asked who he would like to see drafted into the Theatre of Dreams: “For me, I really want to see Luis Enrique at Man United. Not just because he is a great coach, and he is a great coach, but what I see with his teams are that the players really connect with the coach. The connection is really good. The players like to play the way he wants, and they want to play that way, they don’t want to do anything different. They want to do everything for the club, but also for the coach.

“That is the thing that Man United have to have. Years ago they had that with Sir Alex Ferguson. Of course he had his personality, but when you went to the locker room, Ferguson would say something - or at a training session - and you wanted to work for him. When Luis Enrique coaches a team, I can see that. Man United need to strike hard to try and get him. 

“I think to get Carrick now is a really good choice, just because he knows about the team and can put the basics down for the club. But the club needs to decide who they want as manager and do it as quickly as possible so he can start to think ‘I want to play 4-3-3, 4-3-2-1 or 4-2-3-1, which players can we bring?’ They cannot wait until the end of the season and try to bring in a big coach. Then he might not come and it’s Carrick again. I don’t want to see that.”

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Whoever takes the reins at Old Trafford will have a big job on their hands. They may need to rebuild United’s midfield, with club captain Bruno Fernandes attracting more transfer interest from Saudi Arabia while veteran Brazilian star Casemiro sees his contract run down towards free agency.

Kleberson, who once operated in the engine room himself, said of those issues and how Enrique could help to resolve them: “I hope that those guys don’t go like that, especially Bruno because he’s the guy that can really breathe life into Man United - he’s top. He has that feeling and has talked about how he loves to play for Man United. But those guys have opportunities to go and they need to look and have a think. Casemiro’s contract is expiring. 

“Those guys are at a club where it is a rollercoaster - they go up, they go down. Everything depends on who is going to be the manager. If it is a Luis Enrique, that can change things in the player’s head. If this guy is coming then they are like ‘why are we going when there is a really good coach coming here that is going to put good players around me’. They will think ‘why move now?’ Man United need to do the right step now.”

Carrick’s first game at the helm will be a derby date with arch-rivals Manchester City on Saturday. That fixture will be followed by a trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal. If little progress is made out of the gates, then United will begin to step up their interest in the likes of Enrique - a man who has so far shunned the option of agreeing a contract extension in Paris and may be opening himself up to a new challenge.