Carrick’s biggest rival for United manager’s job is “close” to joining another club – report

In the summer, Manchester United are expected to finally appoint a new permanent head coach. At the start of the year, INEOS decided to pull the plug on Ruben Amorim’s United project. The Old Trafford chiefs finally conceded that the team was not improving under the Portuguese tactician. Rather than immediately appointing a replacement, the Red Devils opted for the caretaker route, with Michael Carrick being asked to take charge until the summer. Fantastic under Michael Carrick Well, 14 games later, what a revelation the ex-midfielder has been while leading this team. United have picked up an impressive 10 wins, drawing two and losing two. This fine run, accompanied by some brilliant performances, has certainly positioned Carrick as a top contender for the United job. And while other top contenders keep being crossed off the list, it recently emerged that the Englishman’s strongest rival for the role was Andoni Iraola. Andoni Iraola has been brilliant at the Vitality Iraola has been brilliant for AFC Bournemouth. The Spaniard arrived and turned a relegation-battling side into a fierce Premier League competitor capable of tearing through any opposition. Watching the Cherries play, you would be blown away by how they control games, how they never tire, and how threatening they are. Last summer saw a mass exodus at the south-coast outfit, including Antoine Semenyo’s exit in the winter, yet they have continued to compete. As great as they have been, they are currently on a 15-game unbeaten run, so it was surprising to learn that Iraola would be leaving in the summer. Nevertheless, that decision had several top Premier League clubs salivating at the opportunity to hire the 43-year-old. United were among those keen, and not long ago it was claimed that, despite Carrick’s great work, the Bournemouth head coach remained a strong candidate for the Old Trafford job. Just as the United faithful were looking ahead to who between Carrick and Iraola would get the nod, an interesting update has dropped from Spain. Crystal Palace closing in on Iraola appointment El Chiringuito claims Iraola is close to making the move to Selhurst Park, where he would replace the departing Oliver Glasner when his contract at the Vitality Stadium ends. 🇪🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 “ANDONI IRAOLA, CERCA de LLEGAR al CRYSTAL PALACE”. ℹ️ Información de @marcosbenito9 pic.twitter.com/BpNslT9w0P — El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 7, 2026 If there is any ounce of truth in this, then surely the United job is Carrick’s. With Iraola now likely out of the picture, INEOS have an obvious decision to make. With no other serious options on the table, they have every excuse to hand Carrick the permanent head coach role at Old Trafford and trust him to sustain his brilliance leading this team. Feature image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.