Fabrizio Romano has shared what he’s hearing amid claims Manchester United are ready to sack Michael Carrick and hire Antonio Conte.

Carrick resembles a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and there’ll be no respite on Sunday.

Bitter rivals Leeds United will smell blood at Elland Road, and if the early signs from Man Utd this season are anything to go by, a capitulation is on the cards.

Carrick will hope Sunday’s contest isn’t his last as the manager of Man Utd, and according to a recent update from The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, the club’s hierarchy are still reluctant to make a change, even if Carrick’s position is “beginning to feel precarious.”

Man Utd don’t want to sack Michael Carrick

Whitwell wrote in a Q&A: “I don’t believe there is an appetite to change head coach — and there are strong arguments that a new man in the dugout is unlikely to spark significant improvement — but Carrick’s position is beginning to feel precarious.

“He needs a win or two, quickly. If he goes, attention will turn to the hierarchy for overseeing a third mid-season change in a row.”

Over the past week, reports in Italy talked up Antonio Conte reaching an ‘agreement’ to become Man Utd’s new manager.

Conte, 57, is pining for a return to management and has publicly spoken of his desire to coach a historic club who are down on their luck. Man Utd fit that billing.

Our colleagues over on TEAMtalk have subsequently been informed Conte will say yes if Man Utd pick up the phone and make an offer.

However, the latest from transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano, has debunked the claims from Italy regarding an ‘agreement’ already being struck.

Fabrizio Romano clarifies Antonio Conte to Man Utd claims

Romano stated on his YouTube channel: “From Italy we have reports of Antonio Conte already being in agreement with Manchester United, of Antonio Conte already giving his word to Manchester United in case they decide to replace Michael Carrick, to sack Michael Carrick.

“My understanding is that Antonio Conte has no agreement with any club.

“Antonio Conte is always an attractive option when it’s about managers opportunity and the big news as I told you over the recent weeks this year compared to the past is that Antonio Conte could be open to taking a top job mid-season.

“So Conte could be open to the right opportunity this season even if it’s not at the end of the season.

“So for a new cycle but already mid-season, that’s the update, but then saying that Antonio Conte already has an agreement with Man United and some reports in Italy are suggesting that Conte is not going to Juventus, Conte is not going to Milan is not going nowhere because he already has an agreement with Man United.

“That’s not true. Conte has no agreement done.

“Conte is open to opportunities open to restart. Conte rejected a crazy financial proposal from Saudi but again Conte is not closing doors or closing any agreement yet with any club.”