If Julian Nagelsmann is the man Ineos want to succeed head coach Michael Carrick, they may need to act without delay.
Over the past few weeks, Carrick has failed to demonstrate he has the mettle to bring Premier League glory back to Old Trafford.
Performances have remained uninspired, and results have rightly mirrored that. As a result, the Red Devils are now on a seven-match winless run, their longest such streak in a decade.
The 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como on Wednesday night ought to have driven the final nail into the coffin of Carrick’s reign at United.
Yet he remains in charge for the Premier League clash with Bournemouth this Sunday. However, should United fail to win there, the prevailing belief is that the club will show him the door.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, United are already sounding out potential successors.
Sky Germany: Nagelsmann top Man United target but RB Leipzig also keen
One coach under active consideration is Julian Nagelsmann. Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reiterated the links, while issuing a clear warning to Ineos: “We can definitely confirm that Julian Nagelsmann is one of the leading candidates for Manchester United if Michael Carrick has to leave.
“He is on the list alongside other candidates, and he is very high up that list. He is available, he has a good reputation in England, and we’ve consistently reported that a move to the Premier League is something he could envisage, particularly if the opportunity came at a top-three or top-four club. And Manchester United are undoubtedly one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“To reiterate, RB Leipzig remain in the running. Nothing is concrete yet, and things haven’t heated up, but we absolutely need to keep Manchester United and Julian Nagelsmann on our radar.
“And I’ll be completely honest: if the Red Devils make a concrete move for Nagelsmann, I can very much imagine him considering it and perhaps even accepting the offer. He has nothing to lose by taking the Manchester United job; things can only get better there, and the sheer scale and power of Manchester United is enormous.”
Leipzig will have Man United on alert
While RB Leipzig are by no means in crisis, they sit five points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. Heavy back-to-back defeats, 6-1 against Bayern and 4-1 against Real Madrid in their last two matches, have nevertheless planted serious doubts over head coach Martin Demichelis.
With Nagelsmann available after leaving the German national team last summer following the World Cup, and given the success he previously enjoyed at the club, Leipzig’s desire to bring him back is entirely understandable.
United, for their part, still have a strong chance of securing the ex-Bayern coach ahead of their Bundesliga rivals. But they must move now: in football, circumstances can shift with startling speed, and the opportunity to land a top-class manager could vanish in an instant.