Multiple reports have confirmed who Jason Wilcox has chosen to succeed Michael Carrick as Manchester United manager, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe is expected to side with Wilcox over fellow United official, Christopher Vivell.

Michael Carrick resembles a dead man walking right now, with his monologue to open his press conference on Friday impressing United journalists, but not the fans.

Man Utd are a club who must look forwards and not be held down by the weight of their illustrious past. Yet when addressing the media, Carrick couldn’t resist mentioning the likes of Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby.

Carrick will remain in charge for Sunday’s visit of Bournemouth, but beyond that, all bets are off.

Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann, Fabian Hurzeler, Eddie Howe and Unai Emery are all on Man Utd’s managerial shortlist.

Hurzeler doesn’t want the job, and is instead content to remain in situ at Brighton until the end of the season at least.

Conte would gladly accept the call to arms, while prising Emery out of Aston Villa would be difficult in the extreme.

Nagelsmann is the preferred choice of head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, though Jason Wilcox, the director of football, wants Howe.

Jason Wilcox chooses Eddie Howe as next Man Utd manager

That’s according to the Guardian’s Jamie Jackson, and per the reporter, if push comes to shove, Ratcliffe is expected to side with Wilcox, meaning Howe is now the de facto favourite to succeed Carrick.

Jackson wrote: ‘Eddie Howe is the current preferred candidate of Jason Wilcox to replace Michael Carrick should Manchester United decide to change manager, with the director of football believing Howe’s extensive Premier League experience places him ahead of other potential targets.’

He added: ‘Julian Nagelsmann, the former Germany and Bayern Munich coach, is highly regarded by Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, but Wilcox’s view may hold more sway with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who controls football policy.’

Jackson’s reporting backs up what talKSPORT’s Alex Crook detailed on the matter earlier this week.

He stated: “I reported yesterday that Eddie Howe was the favourite to take over. Jason Wilcox was leaning towards him… Because he seems to have the ear of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

“Sir Jim Ratcliffe seems to put a lot of weight in what Jason Wilcox wants and there does seem to be, reading a couple of news reports from United correspondents, a bit of an issue in the boardroom as well.

“Christopher Vivell, I think, feels he’s being sidelined a bit by Jason Wilcox.

“He is the head of recruitment. He would want to hire Julian Nagelsmann. They’ve got a pretty standing relationship.

“Nagelsmann was one of the top targets before they gave Carrick the full-time job, but he wasn’t willing to leave Germany at that moment in time before the World Cup.

“So, yeah, I mean, again, that highlights the problem, isn’t it? Too many different cooks spoiling the broth.”