What Howe could bring to Man Utd - and what are the challenges?

Eddie Howe has emerged as a leading contender to take over at Manchester United should the club decide to part ways with Michael Carrick.

Howe, 48, has been out of work since leaving Newcastle in the summer and is admired by sections of the Old Trafford hierarchy, with director of football Jason Wilcox thought to favour his appointment. His stock rose during nearly four years at St James' Park, where he inherited a side in relegation trouble in 2021 and guided it to the Champions League and an EFL Cup triumph in 2025, the club's first trophy in 56 years.

The appointment would not be without complications. Compensation owed to Newcastle began at around 6 million pounds but is understood to have already halved, with the payment set to expire before the end of the season, making a move cheaper the longer United wait.

Reaction has been mixed. Some supporters question whether Howe is a big enough name for the role, and former United players have been divided, with Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt expressing doubts while Roy Keane has backed him.

Howe's reputation is built on transformation. He took Bournemouth from the foot of League Two in January 2009 to the Premier League, and he has a record of improving players, from Nathan Ake, Callum Wilson and Tyrone Mings on the south coast to Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon at Newcastle.

He would also arrive with experience of working within a modern executive structure, having worked alongside chief executive Omar Berrada's former colleagues at Newcastle and with the likes of Amanda Staveley and sporting director Paul Ashworth, who has since spent time at Old Trafford.

Any decision on Carrick's future is expected to hinge on results, starting with the trip to Chelsea.