Unai Emery’s stance on leaving Aston Villa as manager now and replacing Michael Carrick at Manchester United has been revealed by a reliable source, as Gabriel Agbonlahor and Jamie Carragher give their take on whether the former Arsenal boss would swap Villa Park for Old Trafford.

Carrick’s days as Man Utd manager are numbered after the Red Devils’ 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

Man Utd are now 16th in the Premier League table with seven points from eight matches, just a point above the relegation zone.

Under Carrick this season, Man Utd have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and have lost two of their three Champions League games.

On October 25, TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, reported that Man Utd are planning to sack Carrick as manager.

Sources have told us that Man Utd director of football Jason Wilcox prefers former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe as Carrick’s replacement.

We understand that Wilcox admires Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, too.

Emery has transformed Villa and has made them regulars in the Champions League, while also winning the Europa League last season.

Graeme Bailey reported on October 22: “Sources close to the Old Trafford hierarchy have confirmed that Emery was among the managers United conducted background checks on last season as they carried out due diligence on potential options away from Carrick.

“The Villa boss remains highly regarded by sporting director Jason Wilcox, who has the full backing of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and is understood to admire the work Emery has done since arriving at Villa Park.

“However, while Emery’s name carries considerable weight within United, the practicalities of securing his services would make any move extremely difficult, especially during the season.”

Sky Sports has now backed our claim about Man Utd and Emery, adding that the former Arsenal manager is committed to the cause at Villa.

The report published on October 25 stated: “Emery, we have been told, remains committed to the project at Aston Villa.”

Jamie Carragher and Gabriel Agbonlahor on Unai Emery to Man Utd

The pundit said on talkSPORT (5:37pm, October 24, 2026): “Will he go there, though?

“Jason Wilcox bringing in no-namers, bringing in rotten players who can’t get the ball.

“No, I think we are in a good place, Aston Villa.”

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, though, believes that Emery could be tempted to swap Villa Park for Old Trafford.

Carragher told Sky Sports: “He is a manager I look at when I think about Manchester United.

“I think Emery is the best manager in the Premier League.

“But I’ve got this thing with him.

“Yes, his record in the Europa League is amazing, but surely somebody who is that successful wants to be known in the Champions League.

“He wants to win the Champions League.

“He’s not going to do that at Aston Villa.

“He’s had two experiences that haven’t gone particularly well for him, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

“And I just think surely he would want that opportunity to prove himself at an absolute giant of a football club.

“Sorry, Villa fans.”