Man Utd hold talks to hire “the best young coach in Europe”, he’s a mini Mourinho

When Evanilson rounded an on-rushing Senne Lammens to hand Bournemouth a 3-0 lead over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, it looked like the nail in the coffin for Michael Carrick. Even he could only answer with speculation about his future at full-time, with the writing seemingly on the wall.

But in the season of horror stories, INEOS have decided to continue their very own – sticking with Carrick as Man United prepare to square off against Chelsea.

The story isn’t over there, however. For now, Carrick has risen from the dead and been dragged back into the hell that is the technical area at Man United, but one more mistake will surely accelerate the Red Devils’ attempt to land a manager who looks like a young Jose Mourinho.

Man Utd desperately need their own Mourinho

REUTERS/Albert Gea

In many ways, it sums up the last 13 years that Man United need their own Mourinho, despite actually having the Mourinho several years ago and sacking him.

They do not need the version who’s already battled up and down the Premier League and throughout Europe, though. They need the version who strode into English football, dubbed himself the Special One, and backed it up with silverware.

They need Europe’s next best thing, who will revolutionise the Premier League at a time when English football arguably lacks managerial star power for the first time in a decade.

Mourinho arrived as confident as ever in his own principles. His Chelsea side were ruthless, hard-working and truly embraced the dark arts. It was the closest that Sir Alex Ferguson got to a doppelgänger in the Premier League.

Of course, all this is not to say that Man United need the current version of Mourinho. He’s too busy knee-sliding to the tune of Kylian Mbappe goals at Real Madrid. What those at Old Trafford need is the idea of what Chelsea hired in 2004. A young manager ready to make his own history in his own way. And that, he did.

Man Utd must hire “best young manager in Europe”

When Old Trafford chanted Carrick’s name just moments after a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Bournemouth, Sir Jim Ratcliffe seemed to take some encouragement.

The billionaire in the room couldn’t have misread the signals any worse. That chant was no confirmation that Carrick is the man for the job. It was sympathy for a club legend, who has been dragged out of his depth by an ownership who simply must make the decision that even he is waiting for.

Once that decision is made, INEOS must turn towards Julian Nagelsmann. The former Germany and Bayern Munich manager holds a key advantage over Eddie Howe in that the German national federation have paid off any potential compensation, and looks to be the man who could finally transform the Red Devils.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Man United have held talks with Nagelsmann and his representatives in an attempt to explore the possibility of his arrival. The German is reportedly on a three-man shortlist with former Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe and ex-Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

Dubbed “the best young coach in Europe” by journalist Josh Bunting, it’s easy to see why Nagelsmann is on United’s radar. He would implement everything that the Red Devils are lacking right now.

The biggest problem that Man United have right now comes out of possession. They are so often outworked in the Premier League, as highlighted by their struggle to win successful turnovers per 90.

Comparatively, Nagelsmann got Bayern Munich running more than anyone in the Bundesliga during the 2021/22 campaign. They even had the most turnovers in Germany per 90 that season. At one of the biggest clubs in the world, he stuck to his principles with confidence and became a Bundesliga winner.

REUTERS/Peter Cziborra

Although a tough spell at Germany tainted his reputation, there’s no escaping the fact that Nagelsmann has already taken some of the biggest jobs in world football at just 39 years old and completed them his way. It’s reminiscent of Mourinho and exactly what Man United need.