Manchester United could soon be on the hunt for a Michael Carrick replacement and Paul Scholes has revealed who he thinks would be perfect

Paul Scholes has stated that Antonio Conte should be "miles ahead" of Julian Nagelsmann, Unai Emery and Eddie Howe in the pecking order to become Manchester United's next manager. All four have been linked as potential replacements for Michael Carrick, who was under huge pressure following the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

Discussions over his future took place on Monday morning with Carrick arriving to Carrington later that day, but to watch United's under-21s against Hull City. He subsequently headed to United's training base on Tuesday to lead training and will be given the chance to turn things around.

Despite the fact he is still in the role, former players have been offering their next manager verdicts, with Scholes wanting Conte over fellow free agents Nagelsmann and Howe.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football, Scholes said: “You’d have to pick a manager who you think will get us back to being a competitive team for the Premier League.

"Out of them three, Antonio Conte’s the man, but he comes with a big f***ing massive warning. He’s made noises that he wants to come and I’m pretty sure the club would have spoke to all three of them. I can’t understand why he’d want this job because I don’t think the team’s good enough for him, personally.”

Those three candidates are all out of work with Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler and Villa boss Emery as the potential options that are employed. The former would cost a significant amount to poach while Scholes is adamant that Conte would be a better fit for the Old Trafford role than Emery.

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“Is the answer staring us right in the face in Unai Emery?” Scholes asked. “He’s won the Europa League with Aston Villa, do you know what an achievement that is?

“He gets a new team every single year because they have to sell their best players. and he keeps producing, keeps producing. Is everyone put off by his Arsenal and PSG days? Probably, because it’s a big club. But it might be staring us in the face. He’d have to take United over Villa, I think he would.

“I think Conte’s the best one around. When I’m talking best in class and you talk them four, I think Antonio Conte’s miles ahead of all of them. You think Juventus, he went to Napoli and goes and wins the league with them.

“He’s volatile, I know he’s volatile and might be a bit of a madman, but when you talk about successful managers at top clubs he’s streets ahead.

“I don’t care if it’s short term. I don’t care if he’s there 18 months and he gets us challenging for the league, that would be a success. The more and more I think about it, Conte needs to come in and start banging some heads together.”

The former Chelsea and Tottenham boss left Napoli in the summer and following numerous media reports linking him with United, he released a statement.

Part of that read: "I have read reports of financial demand and requests for full control that I have supposedly already made to the clubs mentioned, as well as reservations about what has been described as my 'strong personality'. These reports are unfounded, as there is currently no concrete basis for such assessments."