Manchester United have reportedly discovered how much they must pay if they wish to appoint Eddie Howe as their new manager.

Pressure has grown on current head coach Michael Carrick, who is without a win in eight games with the Red Devils across all competitions.

A disastrous 4-1 Champions League defeat against Como followed by a humbling 3-0 Premier League loss to Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday, leaving the club 16th in the table.

Man United director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada allegedly held crisis talks over Carrick’s future on Monday.

However, it is now understood that Carrick will, in fact, remain in charge of the Red Devils for Saturday lunchtime’s Premier League trip to Chelsea, with the 45-year-old overseeing first-team training at the club’s Carrington training complex on Tuesday morning.

Carrick is expected to be given more time to turn the club’s fortunes around, but an extended run of poor results may ultimately lead to his departure in the near future.

In the event that Man United’s form fails to improve and the club’s hierarchy decide to relieve Carrick of his duties, former Newcastle United boss Howe is believed to be one of the leading candidates to take the reins at Old Trafford.

Julian Nagelsmann, another free agent who left his role as Germany boss after the World Cup, is another name high on Man United’s shortlist, while Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Antonio Conte have also been linked with the Old Trafford hotseat.

Carrick Man Utd sacking would be twice as expensive as Howe appointment

According to The Telegraph, Man United will have to pay Newcastle about £3m in compensation if they want to make Howe their next manager under the terms of his exit from the Magpies in July. 

Howe had a number of years left on his ‘long-term’ contract with Newcastle when he stepped down and the Magpies are said to have factored in a degree of protection in the event that he ended up at a rival club months after his departure.

A separate report from The Guardian claims that Man United would also have to pay Newcastle a minor sum for Howe’s backroom staff, including trusted assistant coach Jason Tindall.

Howe is said Wilcox’s prime candidate to succeed Carrick, but Man United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, has been pushing the case of Nagelsmann.

If Man United were to dismissal Carrick in the near future, it is understood that they would have to fork out more than £7m in compensation given that the 45-year-old is under contract at Old Trafford until June 2028.

The Express claims that Ruben Amorim was paid £8.5m by the Red Devils after he was sacked in January, and Carrick would be receive a similar amount, following his appointment as permanent head coach in the summer.