Eddie Howe emerges as a Manchester United candidate as club weighs options ahead of Chelsea game
Eddie Howe, out of work since leaving Newcastle United in the summer, has been identified as a possible successor to Michael Carrick as Manchester United manager as the club evaluates its position ahead of Saturday's match against Chelsea.
When Sir Jim Ratcliffe became a co-owner of Manchester United in 2024, rebuilding around a British core became part of the conversation, and the club has since employed Michael Carrick as the first permanent British managerial appointment of the Ineos era. Carrick has struggled this season, prompting Manchester United to consider whether a more experienced British coach could be an alternative if Carrick loses his job, with Howe among the names under consideration.
Colleagues who have worked with Howe point to a training-ground intensity and a clear methodology for building winning habits as drivers of his record in improving players. Howe lacks experience at a traditional top-six club, but his managerial résumé includes two lengthy spells that are widely regarded as successful at Bournemouth and Newcastle.
Howe was appointed Bournemouth boss in January 2009 when the club faced relegation from League Two, led them into the Premier League in 2015 and established them in the top flight before leaving for a second time in 2020. He took charge at Newcastle in 2021, guiding the club out of relegation trouble, securing Champions League qualification on two occasions and winning the EFL Cup in 2025, the club's first trophy in 56 years.
Responses to Howe's potential appointment have been mixed among fans and former players. Sections of the fanbase have expressed scepticism on social media; Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt did not back Howe on their podcast despite previously speaking in favour of him when Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. Roy Keane has publicly backed Howe, and Darren Bent, Gareth Barry and Jack Wilshere have also spoken positively about him. Responsibility for any approach would sit with chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell.
Financial considerations form a key part of the decision-making. Details of Howe's exit agreement with Newcastle remain confidential, but multiple sources told BBC Sport that any club would face a seven-figure compensation obligation under a structure negotiated by Newcastle that reduces over time; it is understood that the figure began at £6m and has already been halved. The payments are said to include an expiry date, understood to be before the end of the season, after which he could be appointed without compensation. "I don't need any assurances"
Howe has exercised significant influence over recruitment at his previous clubs, recruiting players who were later sold for profit: Nathan Ake, Callum Wilson and Tyrone Mings at Bournemouth, and Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak at Newcastle. Players such as Dan Burn, Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento progressed to full England international status under his coaching. Manchester United's current football structure, which includes Berrada, Wilcox and Vivell, would likely limit the immediate level of autonomy Howe enjoyed, but he has said he is willing to work with sporting directors and has done so previously under Richard Hughes and chief executive Neill Blake at Bournemouth and with Dan Ashworth, Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi at Newcastle.
Internal preferences are reported to differ: Jason Wilcox is thought to favour the 48-year-old Howe, while Christopher Vivell is said to prefer Julian Nagelsmann. Any recommendation will be assessed by Omar Berrada, with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co-chairs Joel and Avram Glazer retaining the final decision. Observers note a wider disillusionment among matchgoing supporters since Ratcliffe acquired his minority stake in early 2024, and some argue structural issues at the club make managerial appointments more complex.
Saturday's match against Chelsea is expected to influence Manchester United's immediate choices regarding Carrick's future, and whether Howe is offered the role would provide a clear signal about the direction the club's leadership intends to take.