Carlo Ancelotti: United target makes major decision on his future

Manchester United’s search for a permanent manager has hit a second major roadblock after Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti moved to the verge of signing a new four-year contract with the Seleção, The Athletic reports. If completed, the deal would keep the 65-year-old in charge of the national team through the 2030 World Cup, effectively ending any prospect of an immediate move to Old Trafford.

Ancelotti had emerged as the most decorated alternative to Thomas Tuchel, who last week ruled himself out of the running by pledging his future to the England national side. United hierarchy, aware that interim boss Michael Carrick’s remit extends only to the end of the current campaign, had identified the Italian as an ideal fit for the club’s demand for a “Premier League-proven manager with trophy-winning experience.”

The former AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid strategist boasts five Champions League titles, a record for any coach, and recently guided Brazil to qualification for the 2026 tournament. Sources close to negotiations told The Athletic that paperwork on the extension is not yet signed but is now considered “a formality,” a development that risks leaving United with a rapidly shrinking shortlist.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique has also distanced himself from the vacancy, leaving Crystal Palace’s outgoing manager Oliver Glasner, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi among the few names still publicly linked. None of the trio have major silverware on their résumés, heightening the dilemma facing United owners who had hoped to secure a headline appointment this summer.

Carrick, appointed after Ruben Amorim’s 14-month tenure ended in January, has eased anxieties inside the club by collecting four wins and a draw from his opening five matches. Should the former midfielder guide United into the Champions League places, pressure will mount on the board to remove the interim tag rather than gamble on a less decorated successor.

With Ancelotti poised to commit to Brazil until 2030, United must now decide whether to pursue a youthful project manager or entrust Carrick with the rebuild of one of world football’s most scrutinised sides.