Former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is being tipped as the leading candidate to take over from Michael Carrick at Manchester United. Should he take the reins, Howe is set to request the signing of four new players in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Red Devils find themselves in a dire situation after a crushing 4-1 defeat to Como, extending their winless streak across all competitions to seven games. Ahead of their match against Bournemouth, United sit in a precarious 15th position in the Premier League, having been knocked out of the League Cup and occupying the bottom spot in their Champions League group.
Interest from the hierarchy
According to The Guardian, Eddie Howe has emerged as the top choice for Technical Director Jason Wilcox, who appreciates the manager's extensive experience in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Head of Recruitment Christopher Vivell has a strong preference for Julian Nagelsmann. Notably, hiring Howe would be less costly than securing Unai Emery, who would command around £20 million in compensation from Aston Villa.
Howe's transfer plans
As reported by Sport Bible, should he join Manchester United, Howe will seek to strengthen four key positions:
- Centre-back (with Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton being a potential target).
- Left-back (Adrien Truffert and Lewis Hall are among the options considered).
- Striker (Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace has been mentioned).
- A pacey wide forward (similar to how he successfully developed Anthony Gordon at Newcastle).
Alan Shearer's thoughts
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer pointed out that Howe's appointment might face obstacles due to his desire to have control over key processes at the club:
There are numerous overarching issues related to leadership and structure at the club. Eddie wants to have control, and the question is whether he will be granted that authority in Manchester.
