Man Utd backed to appoint ‘genius’ manager as Carrick no longer in conversation | OneFootball

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale has recommended that Manchester United appoint a ‘genius manager’ as Ruben Amorim’s permanent successor, although they could ultimately be set for massive disappointment this summer.

After sacking Amorim in early January, interim boss Michael Carrick had been on an unbeaten seven-match run, up until the midweek defeat against 10-man Newcastle.

Up until that defeat, the clamour for Carrick to take the permanent Man Utd reins had been growing, despite a plethora of top names being linked with the Old Trafford role.

However, Bale is backing his old Real Madrid chief, Carlo Ancelotti, as the man who could lead United back to the glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson.

The 66-year-old Italian is another top manager currently preparing for the World Cup with Brazil and is widely regarded as one of the best managers in history, having won a record five Champions Leagues along with league titles in Spain, England, Italy, France and Germany.

“I think he would do great,” Bale said on The Overlap when asked about Ancelotti’s credentials as the next United manager. “He’s not just the manager, he is a coach as well.

“[But] he can do the tactical stuff. When he was the head coach in his second spell [at Real Madrid], he did a lot more tactically then than we did the first time, but I think we had a better team the first time.

“Wherever Carlo goes, I think he would do an amazing job, just because he gets everyone on board.

“If you go into a big club, you’ve got good players, whether they’re performing at the time or not.

“Like Man Utd, they have been the last few weeks, but, prior to that, they hadn’t been performing, but they’ve got good players.

“He’ll get the best out of players and will just simplify things, which you see now with Michael Carrick.

“He’s simplifying a lot of things that the previous manager was doing, and you’re getting results. So that’s Carlo’s genius, getting the best out of the players and just making it simple.”

Ancelotti to Man Utd a likely non-starter

Despite Bale’s calls for United to make their move for Ancelotti, an update from top reporter Ben Jacobs has poured cold water on that particular appointment.

Jacobs claims that the defeat to Newcastle means Carrick is no longer in with a shout of taking over permanently, which appears a bit harsh after that seven-match unbeaten run.

Appearing on The United Stand, Jacobs claimed the three managers the Red Devils are weighing up hiring are Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto Martinez.

Carrick was completely overlooked in that conversation, while Jacobs also confirmed that high-profile pair, Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel, are not in the running for the Old Trafford post.

That’s not exactly surprising when it comes to Ancelotti, who is expected to sign a new deal with Brazil that takes him up until the 2030 World Cup.

As for Martinez, it’s not the first time that Jacobs has name-checked the former Wigan and Everton boss, who is currently in charge of the Portugal national team.

De Zerbi has been on INEOS’ radar for some time, along with Tuchel, who was in the running before the appointment of Amorim in 2024.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk insider, Graeme Bailey, was well ahead of the curve when delivering news on Nagelsmann earlier this week, with sources revealing the German is keen on taking the job.

A German sensation is at the centre of a growing transfer frenzy, with Manchester United and Arsenal both gearing up to make summer moves for the supremely talented 16-year-old.