21 Favourites to Become Next Permanent Boss

Manchester United parted ways with Ruben Amorim in early January following a run of just four wins in the Red Devils’ previous 11 matches across all competitions. The Old Trafford faithful were already split in opinion over his appointment back in November 2024, and his time in the Premier League flashed before him following a 1-1 draw with Leeds United to start the new year.

Replacing Erik ten Hag at the helm of Manchester United, the Portuguese head coach wanted to wait until the summer to depart Sporting CP and join the Red Devils – however, according to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS-led team, it was simple: now or never. But it quickly became apparent that more and more were leaning towards the negative outlook of their new boss as things hadn’t gone swimmingly since.

Losing the Europa League final aside, the league form since he arrived has been nothing short of abysmal – and after a hodgepodge start to the 2025/26 campaign, which saw United win eight of their opening 20 Premier League games, lose to Grimsby Town in the League Cup, and not really improve since, Michael Carrick has been called up to take over on an interim basis until the end of the season.

The former United midfielder, though, has made an impressive start to life at Old Trafford, recording victories against Manchester City and Arsenal. Despite pundits like Roy Keane urging the club not to appoint him as their next permanent boss, speculation continues to mount that he could secure the full-time job, with Sky Bet revealing who the favourites are to be in charge of the Red Devils at the start of the 2026/27 season.

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Xavi, Unai Emery, and Xabi Alonso all feature

If United are looking for an elite manager who is out of work right now, they could do a lot worse than Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard was let go by Real Madrid, but still managed to guide Bayer Leverkusen to an impressive Bundesliga title in his previous job. Nevertheless, reports indicate that his close ties with Liverpool mean that it’s unlikely he will agree to move to Old Trafford.

Fabian Hurzeler could be an exciting young prospect, while former Inter Milan tactician Simone Inzaghi would be the opposite. An experienced coach who has won league titles and performed in the Champions League, the Italian is currently at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.

Sebastian Hoeness would be an excellent fit for Man United due to his proven ability to transform teams and implement an exciting, balanced style of play. At VfB Stuttgart, he remarkably rescued the club from relegation danger, then guided them to a stunning second-place Bundesliga finish and Champions League qualification in the 2023/24 campaign.

A name that has long been on the radar of the Premier League behemoths is Xavi, who has stayed loyal to Barcelona since first joining the famed La Masia academy in 1991. A master of tiki taka football, he briefly served as the Catalan giants’ boss between 2021 and 2024, where he helped them win a La Liga title. But, given the fact his tenure came to an end thanks to disagreements with the hierarchy, it may not be wise for INEOS to take that risk given their own deficiencies.

Unai Emery would need no time to adapt to the trials and tribulations of Premier League life, given his success at Villa Park with Aston Villa. The talented Spaniard has been mooted with a switch from Birmingham to Manchester. At face value, Emery’s current project at Villa is much more promising, even if PSR problems saw the Midlands club have a quiet summer in the latest transfer window. He comes in on the odds just behind Cesc Fabregas of Como.

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Eddie Howe is the 13th favourite to lead United in the 2026/27 campaign

Newcastle United have had to give the Eddie Howe project a lot of patience over the last four years, but it has resulted in a steady stream of success in the North East. Whether or not the United hierarchy would offer him the same time is a difficult question in itself, but he’s currently the 13th favourite to take on the role as he may wish to leave the PSR-strapped Magpies behind.

His position in the betting list means he is more favoured than Fulham’s Marco Silva, who is still yet to sign a new deal at Craven Cottage, meaning he could well be an easy option for the Red Devils to pursue should they wish.

Before Carrick’s interim appointment, Darren Fletcher appeared on the list as well, but has since been replaced by struggling West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, whose odds currently sit at 25/1.

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Mauricio Pochettino, who has managed Spurs and Chelsea in the Premier League, has been linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams on several occasions, and currently has odds of 25/1 to finally complete a switch to Manchester. But he’s unlikely to move away from his post in charge of the United States, given that the country will host the upcoming World Cup.

Marseille’s Roberto de Zerbi has similar odds, with United holding him in very high regard as they weigh up their next permanent boss. Also on 25/1 is Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth, who raised eyebrows upon his arrival on the south coast before becoming one of the top managers in the Premier League last season. He could potentially thrive with better funding than he’s currently given at the Vitality Stadium.

Like Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti is set to take charge of a national side at the 2026 World Cup, but the Brazil boss is reportedly keen on returning to England to become United’s next manager. Having guided Chelsea to Premier League glory during his only spell in England, the five-time Champions League winner could be the man to return the club to the division’s summit.

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Oliver Glasner and Michael Carrick among the clear favourites

Should Ratcliffe wish to appoint someone who knows the insides of Carrington and Old Trafford better, though, he might turn to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was recently sacked by Turkish side Besiktas and is now unattached. But having turned to Carrick instead of the Norwegian when appointing an interim boss, it feels unlikely that INEOS will change their minds in the coming months and give Ole another spell at the wheel.

Reports emerged recently that Luis Enrique was considering his next move after being offered a record-breaking contract at Paris Saint-Germain. Of course, the Spaniard’s mind will be fully focused on retaining the Champions League crown, but could Man Utd tempt him away in the summer? It’s unlikely, given he’s also linked with Liverpool, but a job the size of Old Trafford’s rescue mission could see his odds of 20/1 slashed in the coming months if he is as ambitious as everyone makes him out to be.

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As with several other managers on this list who are now in charge of international teams, Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel would not move to Old Trafford until after the upcoming World Cup. But both managers could be available following July – Tuchel is only contracted until the tournament’s end, while Nagelsmann is keen on the job, despite being signed to Germany until 2028. Currently, it’s the England boss who is the slight favourite of the pair.

Former England boss Gareth Southgate‘s culture-building masterclass could be welcomed at Old Trafford if push comes to shove. Albeit tactically restricted, Southgate has experience of managing in the English top flight, but supporters would be totally against his appointment given his relative lack of silverware in charge of the Three Lions.

Oliver Glasner is the epitome of a big-game manager, and that was proven in recent back-to-back triumphs at Wembley Stadium, which saw Crystal Palace win their first-ever major honour in the form of an FA Cup before then also claiming the Community Shield. His ability to work with what he’s got could be a major draw and the Austrian, formerly a manager in the Bundesliga, is priced at 11/4, with him having already announced he will be leaving Selhurst Park once his contract expires in the summer.

Albeit fondly remembered as being one of the most underrated players in the history of the Premier League, Michael Carrick’s time at Middlesbrough ended with a fizzle following a run of 16 wins in his first 23 matches in charge. During his time as caretaker at Old Trafford in the liminal period between Ole and Ralf Rangnick, he oversaw three wins from three, which has earned him a role as interim boss this time around.

But the retired midfielder has made the best possible start to life as interim boss, recording wins against two of the Premier League’s best sides. Although the United hierarchy’s next move remains a mystery, many punters are backing Carrick to get given a full-time role between now and the end of the season, with odds that his interim role becoming longer than it currently is made out to be standing at 13/8.

All betting odds per Sky Bet – correct as of 26/01/2026.