Dark clouds are gathering over Manchester United boss Michael Carrick ahead of a crucial clash against struggling Tottenham. The club legend earned a permanent deal after a sensational stint as interim manager saw the team secure a third-place finish in the Premier League and a spot in the Champions League. However, the start of the new campaign has been bleak, with just five points from five matches and an early exit from the League Cup.
Despite the hierarchy publicly supporting Carrick for now, discussions about potential successors are ramping up behind the scenes. Former Monaco sports director Tor-Kristian Karlsen has put forward an extensive assessment of the situation, naming former Barcelona and Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde as the optimal candidate for the Manchester giants.
In an interview with ESPN, Karlsen highlighted the impressive pedigree of the 62-year-old Spaniard:
Few can compare to the 62-year-old's managerial CV. Valverde departed Athletic at the end of last season after his third stint, which occurred two and a half years after winning back-to-back titles with Barcelona from 2017 to 2019.
Valverde’s style of play blends possession dominance with swift transitional phases, often built around quick wingers and attacking full-backs. He prefers teams structured on a solid defensive foundation — although, it must be noted, his last season at Athletic saw this unexpectedly falter — paired with enough pragmatism to adapt his model to the quality of the squad. This approach typically guarantees stable performances and teams that are rarely tactically outsmarted.
Discussing Valverde's prospects of moving to England, Karlsen elaborated on why the Spaniard would be a far better fit for United than for Tottenham:
What diminishes the likelihood of his appointment at Spurs or United is that his capabilities have remained somewhat unnoticed outside Spain (and Greece, where he had two successful spells with Olympiacos). For better or worse, it’s unlikely that a foreign manager will be invited to the Premier League at this late stage of his career.
But the ideal fit for him is indeed Manchester United. Valverde emphasises quick, direct wingers who constantly look to stretch opponents or take on defenders (rather than playmakers on the flanks), while much of the organisational work in the attacking third falls to an energetic midfield number eight or a ‘ten’ behind the striker. He is also less dogmatic than many other coaches and doesn’t insist that centre-backs must dictate the build-up from deep. This could very well suit United, given that moving the ball has not been the strong suit of their defenders.
