United legend explains why “top” PL manager is likely to turn down Old Trafford move

Manchester United’s red-hot form under caretaker manager Michael Carrick has ignited talk of his permanent stay at the Theatre of Dreams. The English manager was appointed in mid-January to steady the ship following former head coach Ruben Amorim’s turbulent 14-month stay. The Red Devils struggled to impress under the Portuguese, but Carrick’s arrival appears to have broken all shackles. The English giants have won seven of their nine games under the Englishman, and now sit third in the Premier League after 30 games. For now, Carrick remains in charge until the end of the season, when United are expected to appoint a permanent manager. INEOS are unlikely to rush the decision given their experience with Amorim and his predecessor, Erik ten Hag. The Red Devils are already eyeing several candidates for the job, and one manager who has long been linked with the club is Aston Villa boss Unai Emery. Emery can bring trophy-winning experience Emery rose to prominence during his stint with Sevilla, helping them secure three consecutive Europa League titles. That earned him a move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and the Spanish manager won seven trophies during his time at the Parc des Princes, including the Ligue 1 title. Emery took charge of Arsenal next in the summer of 2018. He guided the Gunners to the Europa League final in his first season, only to come up short against Chelsea. After a troubled start to his second campaign at the Emirates, the Spaniard lost his job in November 2019, and took over at Villarreal the following summer. Emery guided the Yellow Submarine to a Europa League triumph in his first season, before Aston Villa came calling in October 2022. Since his arrival at Villa Park, the Spanish manager has turned the Birmingham club into a well-drilled unit, helping them finish fourth in the Premier League in the 2023/24 campaign. This season, Emery’s team are fourth in the league table after 30 games, and have a good chance of securing qualification for the Champions League once again. Unai Emery Managerial Career Stats TeamFromToPlayed (P)Wins (W)Draws (D)Losses (L)Win % Lorca Deportiva21 December 200422 June 20067034162048.6 Almería22 June 200622 May 20088439202546.4 Valencia22 May 200814 May 2012220107585548.6 Spartak Moscow1 July 201225 November 2012261241046.2 Sevilla14 January 201312 June 2016205106435651.7 Paris Saint-Germain28 June 201614 May 201811487151276.3 Arsenal23 May 201829 November 20197843161955.1 Villarreal23 July 202025 October 202212964353049.6 Aston Villa1 November 2022[a]Present182100325054.9 Total–1,10859223927753.4 Source: Wikipedia. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggested that the Spaniard was keen to replace Amorim at Old Trafford. However, United legend Roy Keane has explained why Emery is likely to turn down a move to United in favour of a stay at Villa Park. Emery enjoying freedom with Villa Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, United legend Gary Neville asked Keane: “Would Unai Emery be a candidate for Manchester United in the summer?” Keane ruled out the Spaniard because of the structure currently in place at Old Trafford. He said: “No, because of what we just said, the structure.” That prompted Neville to enquire: “You don’t think he’ll go there, no?” The Irishman responded by pointing out that United will not give Emery the freedom he currently enjoys at Villa, which is why he will turn down the job. Keane said: “I think he’s, you talk about managers, the top managers, Pep, the top managers manage upwards as well. They call the shots with the people above them. He’s got that at Villa.” “He didn’t have it at Arsenal back in the day. And I know sometimes you can’t just automatically go to a job because you’ve got control everywhere. But I think what he’s doing at Villa and the people above him suits him down to the ground. That’s his strength, managing upwards. I don’t think he would be desperate enough to sacrifice that to go to United.” Final Thoughts As of now, Carrick remains the popular choice for the permanent position at the Theatre of Dreams. If the Englishman manages to secure a top-four finish, United could find it very hard to turn him down. 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 Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.