Eddie Howe is Manchester United’s preferred candidate to replace Michael Carrick if he is sacked. But a significant obstacle has already appeared.

Everyone expected Michael Carrick to be sacked hours after the humiliating 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on Sunday. The club has yet to pull the trigger, and the 45-year-old was photographed on Monday afternoon heading into Carrington to watch United’s U21 team face Hull City in a closed friendly match.

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A decision on his future will reportedly be made in the coming hours, following talks with sporting director Jason Wilcox and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Should he be removed from the Old Trafford bench, Howe could be hired quickly.

Manchester United must pay compensation to Newcastle

According to Sky Sports, Howe – who left Newcastle after four and a half years in July – will be open to talks with United’s management if the manager’s job becomes available.

The 48-year-old cited exhaustion and the need to recharge as reasons for leaving St James’ Park, having delivered outstanding success in the northeast – including the Carabao Cup title in 2025 and two Champions League qualifiers.

Howe’s Premier League experience is seen as an appealing reason to hire him over Julian Nagelsmann, another leading candidate. But signing the Englishman will cost the club – even though he is technically a free agent.

The Chronicle reveals that United will have to fork out “significant” compensation to Newcastle, given that he had several years left on his contract. The former Bournemouth boss earned around £6 million a year at the Magpies – meaning United will have to pay millions to secure his services.

This could pose a significant obstacle in the hunt for Howe if Carrick is sacked – and potentially prompt the club to consider other candidates.

Nagelsmann is the other top candidate after he left Germany in July, and he will not demand compensation. Aston Villa’s Unai Emery is also admired by the club management, but they will have to pay a staggering £20 million in compensation to lure him away from Villa Park.

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Four players Howe will demand United sign in January

Eddie Howe is a favourite to get the United job if Carrick is sacked – and here are the players he could claim in January.

Howe announced his shocking departure from Newcastle at the end of July after four and a half successful years at St James’ Park.

The Englishman delivered the Toons’ first major trophy in almost 56 years after their victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final last year, and led them twice to Champions League football.

Now, almost three months after leaving the club – with exhaustion and the need to recharge his batteries as justification – Howe can return to the management of one of England’s most successful clubs.

Howe is Wilcox’s preferred alternative

Carrick is on the verge of being sacked after the humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League. The 45-year-old, who only signed a two-year contract earlier this year, will be on the bench against Bournemouth on Sunday, but his future after that is unclear.

If they pull the trigger, Howe has emerged as one of the leading candidates to take over at Old Trafford – alongside Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Fabian Hürzeler.

According to talkSPORT, Howe is believed to be Jason Wilcox’s “preferred” option due to his Premier League experience, and his opinion is likely to weigh heavily with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

Crucially, the former Bournemouth manager will seriously “consider” taking the job if it is offered – according to The Guardian – although he will demand assurances about the club’s structure behind the scenes.

The biggest priority for Howe, or any manager, is to clean up a dressing room out of control – after public outbursts from Lisandro Martínez and Bruno Fernandes in the space of a week.

They will also need huge financial support in January to fix a squad that was left too thin this summer – and ultimately control over which players are brought in.

Which players Howe can bring in

During his time at Newcastle, Howe used a tactically disciplined, high-pressing and structured 4-3-3 system. He demanded relentless running from his squad both with and without the ball, while players known for poor training habits or lack of defensive effort did not fit in.

A lot of United’s current squad would have to really embrace this philosophy if Howe replaced Carrick – they are currently one of the worst teams in the Premier League at covering space.

So what types of players will the former Magpies boss be looking for in January? A centre-back, left-back, left winger and striker are the four positions on United’s radar.

Howe likes centre-backs who are comfortable with the ball, so a quality ball-playing defender will be on his radar – with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite reportedly fitting the description. Branthwaite has become United’s top target in defence, two years after they tried to sign him from Merseyside, and he will be an ideal replacement for Martínez.

At left-back, Howe wants players who are incredibly attacking and use their speed to get up and down the pitch. It was another position the club were unable to solve this summer, as they missed out on dream signing Lewis Hall – who recently signed a new long-term contract at St James’ Park after United tried to sign him.

Howe valued Hall extremely highly at Newcastle, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he tries to bring him to Old Trafford. Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert has emerged as another option.

A lightning-fast winger will also be on the 48-year-old’s agenda. At Magpies, he coached Anthony Gordon into a highly productive wide attacker, and he will want to replicate that model at United.

United are just as desperate for a striker after Benjamin Šeško’s injury, and a new manager will only speed up their plans. Howe wants his centre-forward to be physically impressive, excellent at pressing and connecting the game.

Jean-Philippe Mateta is a player who is heavily linked with United, and with his contract at Crystal Palace expiring in June, he is the Premier League-experienced striker they crave.