Antonio Conte Linked with Manchester United Job Amid Carrick's Struggles

Antonio Conte is back on Manchester United’s radar – at least in Italy.

The former Chelsea and Tottenham boss is being pushed hard in the Italian press as a serious candidate to replace Michael Carrick at Old Trafford, with claims Conte has already made up his mind on how he would respond if United come calling.

Carrick’s bright start, early doubts

Carrick’s story was supposed to be different.

He stepped in after Ruben Amorim was sacked and immediately changed the mood. United went from drifting to driving, from underachieving to secure. Champions League qualification? Done. A comfortable third-place finish in the Premier League? Delivered with something to spare.

It was enough for the new co-owners INEOS to move quickly. They backed the former midfielder with a permanent deal, an initial two-year contract, after carrying out their checks on other options. It looked like a clean, confident decision.

Yet only a few months on, the questions have started.

The team’s stuttering start has triggered unease outside the club. One former United player has already gone public with doubts over whether Carrick would even make it to the January transfer window if results did not improve. The noise has grown louder with every dropped point.

Conte waiting, United linked

Italy has taken that unease and run with it.

On Tuesday, reports there claimed United’s hierarchy were actively weighing up a move for Antonio Conte as a potential next coach. Now il Corriere dello Sport have doubled down, insisting the idea of Conte at Old Trafford is gathering real momentum.

Their depiction is striking: Conte, out of work since leaving Napoli at the end of last season, “waiting by the phone” for United.

The 57-year-old is described as desperate to get back into the dugout, but on his terms. He has already rejected a return to the Italy national team and turned down an approach from Fenerbahce, according to the same reports. He wants the right project, not just any job.

Old Trafford, of course, would fit his profile. This is not the first time Conte has been linked with United, and his track record speaks loudly enough: six league titles, a reputation for demanding standards, and a win percentage of 58.04% across 703 games in management.

But United would not have a free run. Juventus are also said to be considering a move to bring him back to the Allianz Stadium, raising the stakes for any club tempted to move.

United’s stance on Carrick

From inside Old Trafford, the message is very different.

Despite the poor start – just four points from four Premier League games and a damaging 1-0 home defeat to 10-man Manchester City on Sunday – there is no suggestion from the club that Carrick’s job is under threat.

There is recognition that this was always going to be a period of adjustment. United reshaped their midfield in the summer and knew it would take time for the new pieces to settle. Panic was never part of the plan.

Transfer frustration has also been acknowledged. Fabrizio Romano, speaking after the City defeat, outlined the club’s thinking, particularly around their failure to sign a left-back.

According to Romano, United felt they needed one more player in that position and tried to make it happen, but refused to compromise on quality. They did not want to sign a body just to say they had signed someone. When the right option didn’t materialise, they walked away.

What has not changed, he stressed, is the club’s backing for Carrick.

Romano said United “absolutely remain convinced that the future will be bright under Michael Carrick” and maintain “total faith and confidence” in him despite the early results. The internal belief mirrors Carrick’s own public stance: that this team will come good in the weeks and months ahead, especially after the upcoming break.

Carrick, by all accounts, is telling the club exactly what he is telling the cameras – that he trusts this squad and expects a strong response.

Conte in the wings, Carrick in the firing line?

So the picture is split.

On one side, an Italian heavyweight newspaper painting Conte as ready and waiting, with United cast as the possible next step in his story. On the other, a club hierarchy adamant they are not about to rip up their plan just months after committing to Carrick.

Conte would bring instant authority and a proven formula. Carrick offers continuity, a long-term idea and the backing of INEOS, at least for now.

If results do not turn quickly, the speculation will only intensify. And if Conte really is waiting by the phone, how long before someone at Old Trafford is tempted to dial?