Every bad week at Old Trafford produces a list, and Friday's papers have produced a long one. Michael Carrick is still the Manchester United head coach, still due in the dugout against Bournemouth on Sunday, and still the subject of a shortlist that now runs to at least five names. The one at the top of it belongs to a man who has not worked since the summer.
Talksport report that United technical director Jason Wilcox would push for Eddie Howe if the club decide to move on from Carrick. Howe left Newcastle at the end of July after five years and a first major domestic trophy for the club since 1955, and he has been out of work since. That availability matters more than it sounds. Most of the other candidates are employed, and the clubs employing them would want paying.
The list keeps growing
The Telegraph say United would consider Julian Nagelsmann, and that the former Bayern Munich and Germany manager is interested in the job. i news add Unai Emery to the pile, describing the Aston Villa boss as one of United's dream candidates, which is the sort of phrase that usually means nobody has picked up a phone yet. La Repubblica go further and report that United have opened talks with Antonio Conte about a return to the Premier League, where he previously managed Chelsea and Tottenham.
Four names, four very different ideas of what United are supposed to become. Howe is the rebuilder, Nagelsmann the coach with a system, Emery the tournament specialist, Conte the short-term shock to the system who tends to leave buildings noisier than he found them. A club with a clear plan does not usually need a list this broad.
The expensive option says no anyway
The fifth name is the one that would cost the most. According to the Telegraph, prising Fabian Hurzeler away from Brighton would probably require a world record compensation fee. Talksport then remove the question entirely by reporting that Hurzeler would not be interested in the United job if it became available. Brighton drew 0-0 at Jablonec on Thursday in Hurzeler's 100th game in charge, a result that did nothing to dent an unbeaten run now stretching to eight matches.
Arsenal shop in Spain and Italy
Away from the Old Trafford noise, FootballTransfers report that Arsenal are looking at Alex Baena for January. The 25-year-old Atletico Madrid winger won the World Cup with Spain in the summer, which will not make him cheaper. Gazzetta dello Sport say Arsenal are also monitoring Gustavo Varela, the 21-year-old Portuguese striker at Monza, with Napoli and Benfica tracking him too.
The same paper reports that Bayer Leverkusen want Brazil defender Gleison Bremer, and that the 29-year-old could leave Juventus in January. Given how Luciano Spalletti described his side's defending after Thursday's 2-2 draw with Rennes, losing a centre-back in midwinter is not an obvious piece of squad planning.
Gossip context: All items above are reported claims, credited to their original outlets, not confirmed deals. Carrick remains Manchester United head coach and is expected to take charge against Bournemouth on Sunday. Sources: Talksport, The Telegraph, i news, La Repubblica, FootballTransfers and Gazzetta dello Sport, as collected in BBC Sport's Friday gossip column, 23 October 2026.
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