Eddie Howe has already told Manchester United what he needs to become the club's new manager.

Current head coach Michael Carrick's future in the job is looking increasing bleak following back-to-back humbling defeats to Como and Bournemouth.

Carrick is expected to be sacked this week, and Howe is reportedly the first-choice pick of club chief James Wilcox is take the job. Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are also understood to be among the potential candidates.

However, securing Howe’s services may depend on whether United are prepared to meet his demands behind the scenes.

Eddie Howe is the favourite to replace Michael Carrick

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The 48-year-old has previously demonstrated a determination to work with trusted members of his own coaching team. He left Newcastle in July after five years in charge and is currently without a club.

Howe’s insistence on bringing his own staff was reportedly a major stumbling block during discussions over a potential move to Celtic in 2021, with the two parties unable to reach an agreement.

Explaining his thinking to The Athletic in 2022, Howe said: “I felt that if I was to come into a pressured job like [Celtic], I needed to go in with a sense of stability.

“I could have recruited new staff, but then you're working each other out and there's a transition process where it probably takes three, four, five months. That's five months too late. I needed my staff with me and we couldn't get them together.”

His comments suggest that any move to Old Trafford could require United to accommodate his preferred coaching structure from the outset.

With the club weighing up whether to make a change in the dugout, Howe’s Premier League experience and previous success at Newcastle could strengthen his case. But negotiations over his backroom staff may prove an important factor if United decide to pursue him.