Julian Nagelsmann would be a leading candidate if Manchester United decide to sack Michael Carrick, and the ex-Germany manager is reportedly open to an approach

Julian Nagelsmann already has a special connection with Manchester United amid reports that he'd be keen to replace Michael Carrick. Nagelsmann, 39, is out of work after stepping down as Germany boss following his country's humiliating World Cup exit.

Should United dispense with Carrick's services, the former Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim manager would be a leading candidate to replace him. The Red Devils have decided to stick with Carrick for now, despite Wednesday's abject 4-1 loss away to Como in the Champions League which extended their winless run to seven games.

Nagelsmann's name has surfaced amid the fallout, as have his past comments. The German faced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's United in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage when he was in charge of Leipzig.

The first match took place at Old Trafford and Nagelsmann was wide-eyed as he visited the Theatre of Dreams, telling the Mail: "I've never played in Old Trafford or been there. It will be a great experience.

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"I watched a lot of games in the Theatre of Dreams and of Manchester United on television. Now to be part of the stadium will be perfect. Bayern Munich v Manchester United, for example, the final when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored.

"Ryan Giggs did a lot of big games for Manchester United, Paul Scholes, Ruud Van Nistelrooy… a lot of players. I watched nearly every game of Manchester United 10 years ago, when I was a younger guy and a player.

"I watched not only English football but also Serie A, Primera Division. I wanted to become a professional so it was important to watch games and look at what the best players in Europe do.

"Sir Alex Ferguson had a long and very successful time for Manchester United so it was also interesting to watch him, what he changed from one season to the next.

"I know there will be no fans so that's hard. When there will be fans it will be more of a bigger experience. But if we win the game in the Theatre of Dreams it will be perfect."

Sadly for Nagelsmann, his side suffered a 5-0 loss. But his impressive work at Leizpig didn't stop him from being poached by Bayern, who paid €25million (£20.9m) to prise him away from Red Bull's football operation.

Nagelsmann lasted just shy of two seasons in Bavaria, winning the Bundesliga title in his first campaign. His next job was with Germany, leading them to the quarter-finals of a home European Championship in 2024.

That was before the four-time winners were dumped out of this year's World Cup by Paraguay in the round of 32 on penalties. Nagelsmann quit shortly after the defeat, making way for Jurgen Klopp.

United fans may also be interested in some of his tactical comments after Bruno Fernandes criticised how Carrick set the Red Devils up against Como. "It's a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball," Fernandes told TNT Sports.

"But sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confident, they have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated, and then obviously when you recover the ball the legs are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work."

Pressing is central to Nagelsmann's philosophy, as he explained in an interview with the Guardian in 2025: "I am not too keen on tackles. I much prefer us to win the ball by pressuring the opponent into a mistake, that we cut off his angles so that he makes a mistake when he tries to find a team-mate with a difficult pass.

"And then, when we get the ball, we need to be quick in order to be able to create a chance and then it's better and the player is fresher when he hasn't had to make five tackles before starting an attack."

Once the hottest prospect in management, Nagelsmann's stock is arguably lower than ever. But at just 39 and with experience of high-pressure roles under his belt, he'll fancy he chances of being the answer to United's problems.