- Manchester United could land Julian Nagelsmann
- Germany boss has contract until Euro 2028
- Former Bayern manager part of small short-list
Julian Nagelsmann is keen to return to club management, amid interest from Manchester United.
The German manager will be taking his nation to his first World Cup, having guided them to the quarter-finals in Euro 2024.
In January, he signed a contract extension until the end of Euro 2028. However, news has emerged that his departure may be sooner than imagined.
United Keen to Appoint Manager by Early Summer
According to Ben Jacobs via The United Stand, the Red Devils want to have a manager appointed before the World Cup starts. The tournament in North America officially starts on 11 June.
Jacobs is a senior football correspondent for GIVEMESPORT. He said: “In April, there will be some formal outreach to other candidates. [Michael] Carrick is an option and will be encouraged by what he’s already done compared to others.”
The Reds have only lost one game under interim boss Michael Carrick. It was a 2-1 loss to Newcastle United. Otherwise, the Red Devils have been in exceptional form since Ruben Amorim was sacked in January.
United have four fixtures in May, so it could be a case that Carrick will know his fate beyond the summer in advance. It would give fans a chance to say a proper goodbye, should United look to appoint a big-name manager.
Jacobs added: “I think Man United will have a name, potentially a manager in place before the World Cup. With Nagelsmann, he is contracted until 2028, and is open to a club job this summer. He has been keen to manage in the Premier League.”
Nagelsmann has extensive experience in managing at club level in his native country. His breakthrough came at Hoffenheim, which earned him a job at RB Leipzig and later Bayern Munich.
The Shortlist Got Very Short
The Reds have been discouraged by big-name managerial candidates seemingly dropping out of the race this week.
Roberto De Zerbi was appointed Tottenham Hotspur manager after interim boss Igor Tudor left his role after just 44 days. The Italian was interviewed by Ineos in May 2024 after Erik ten Hag was sacked.
PSG boss Luis Enrique is set to sign a new contract with the current European champions. The Spaniard is yet to manage in the Premier League, and was a strong favourite to replace Carrick. However, the recent bombshell that Nagelsmann is ready to step away from Germany is a surprise.
The only reason that United should opt for a manager besides Carrick is for name sake. The former midfielder has won the battle on the pitch against other candidates such as Marco Silva and Oliver Glasner since January.
Statmuse has published that Carrick currently has the best points per game ratio than any other manager in United history with 2.25. It even eclipses Sir Alex Ferguson at 2.16. However, the statistic is slightly misleading as Ferguson won 520 more league games at United than Carrick has so far.
Trying to interview or appoint Nagelsmann in June could be tricky, given his World Cup preparations. But if the club are intent on appointing the German, then it is a case of the sooner it is, the easier it will be.
