'Sooner rather than later' Manchester United manager contender set for talks

Manchester United's manager hunt is gathering pace as the end of the season draws closer.

Michael Carrick's spell as interim head coach is due to end this summer, although a run of seven wins in nine matches has put the former midfielder in the frame to land the job permanently.

Manchester United have climbed to third in the Premier League as a result of their strong form, and qualification for the Champions League could boost the profile of candidates interested in taking over at Old Trafford.

Manchester United manager target gives intriguing update on future

The club have tried several different profiles of manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, from serial winners such as Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal to club legends in the form of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Carrick.

Their most recent permanent appointment, Ruben Amorim, was viewed as one of the most highly-rated young coaches in Europe, although the Portuguese's 14-month reign will be best remembered for leading the club to their lowest finish of the Premier League era, ending last season 15th.

Another well-regarded young coach is Bournemouth's 43-year-old manager Andoni Iraola, who joined the Cherries in 2023.

The former Spain defender led the south coast club to 12th in his first season in charge, before improving on that last term with a ninth-place finish, but is out of contract this summer.

And he offered an intriguing update on his next steps, with transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano quoting Iraola as saying: “My future? I will make a decision on the contract here at Bournemouth sooner [rather] than later.”

Iraola is expected to hold talks with Bournemouth during the next international break, which starts after this weekend's round of domestic matches.

Interestingly, the Red Devils visit Bournemouth in the Premier League on Friday night, pitting two potential candidates for the permanent job at Old Trafford against each other.

Manchester United won't be the only team keeping an eye on Iraola's contract talks, with Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace reportedly also interested.

Palace's interest in Iraola is noteworthy, as manager Oliver Glasner - who is set to leave this summer - has also been linked with Old Trafford.

Glasner led the Eagles to the FA Cup last season, the club's first major trophy, but has endured a difficult campaign this time around.

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