Michael Carrick is at risk of the sack at Manchester United and the usual names are being bandied about as potential replacements.

Eddie Howe? Antonio Conte? Julian Nagelsmann? They’re all available and better managers on paper than who United currently have. But would going for one of them just be too obvious?

We’ve taken a look at some more leftfield suggestions for who could replace Carrick if the axe falls.

Thiago Motta

Bit of a funny one, Motta. Reputations can change quickly at the top level of management.

Once a source of minor ridicule for his bold idea of a 2-7-2 formation, Motta worked wonders at Bologna to get them into the Champions League, taking his stock higher than ever.

But rather than lead Bologna in that European campaign, he made the step up to Juventus. It was a disaster.

Motta was sacked by the March of his first season with Juve and has been out of work for over a year and a half since.

But while his time in Turin may have been a misstep, Motta had too bright a future as a manager to just disappear from the touchline.

Bringing his ideas into a new league could be what he needs to get back on track. It’d be a gamble, no doubt, but sometimes you need someone who thinks outside the box.

Marcelo Bielsa

Now this wouldn’t go down too well over at Leeds, but that’s not really Man Utd’s problem.

One thing’s for sure, Bielsa would get United running – and that’s what they need right now.

His three-year Uruguay reign ended after their World Cup exit in the summer. At 71, he’s earned the right to put his feet up. But he’s the kind of manager who always has that itch to contribute to the game in some way.

And he had the Sir Alex seal of approval back in his Athletic Club days.

Sergio Conceicao

Like Motta, Conceicao is a coach needing to get back on track.

The 51-year-old enjoyed a seven-year reign with Porto, winning three league titles, but he only lasted half a year in his next job at AC Milan and failed to even get them into Europe.

A venture into the Saudi Pro League followed, which normally doesn’t bode too well for a future back among the European elite.

Conceicao left Al-Ittihad at the end of last season and is waiting for his next opportunity.

Favouring a high-pressing approach, Conceicao could bring some intensity to United. He’s also previously expressed an admiration for at least one of their players, when his Milan side were linked with Marcus Rashford in 2025.

Didier Deschamps

There was a time when United chiefs seemed obsessed by the idea of bringing Gareth Southgate back into club management after his England exploits.

But Southgate has pretty much ruled out ever returning to a dugout at all. United might have been too big a gig for him anyway, but that does feel like a shame.

Not to worry, INEOS. Want someone else who fits the bill of being in charge for one of FIFA’s highest-ranked countries for a long time but hasn’t tested himself with a club for ages? Step forward Deschamps.

The architect of France’s World Cup win in 2018, Deschamps made way for Zinedine Zidane after the 2026 edition.

Somehow still in his fifties, there’s plenty of time for the former Monaco, Juventus and Marseille manager to take on a new challenge if he fancies it.

“I’m available, and everybody knows it,” he vowed in May. “I won’t retire after the World Cup.”

He managed some big egos during his time in charge of France and consistently got them to go far in tournaments.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Hear us out.

The parallels between Carrick’s struggles after an impressive interim reign and Solskjaer’s are obvious.

United projects post-Fergie just never seem to properly take off. But, ignoring Ralf Rangnick, they’ve had some good fortunes with interim managers.

What if they just bring back Solskjaer for a 2019-esque boost and dispense of him when all’s said and done? Then switch back and forth to caretaker Carrick ad infinitum?

We’re only half joking. What could possibly go wrong?