"No one comes as close to fulfilling everything" - Gary Neville names standout candidate for Manchester United head coach role

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has selected Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti as his ideal candidate to replace Ruben Amorim. Neville reckons Ancelotti would be an outstanding choice due to his achievements, but added that Thomas Tuchel and Eddie Howe would be the next two choices in his top three.

The Red Devils are reportedly in talks with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick, and Darren Fletcher as they seek to announce a caretaker manager until the end of the season. Fletcher is currently in an interim role with the club, following Amorim's sacking on Monday, January 5.

While Manchester United great Roy Keane believes Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe should be selected as a permanent replacement over the summer, Neville told The Overlap (via METRO):

"The outstanding candidate for me would be Carlo Ancelotti, even if it would mean potentially delaying his arrival until late July if Brazil reached the World Cup final."

"No-one comes as close to fulfilling everything laid out above than he does. Ironically the club met with Carlo shortly before his retirement in 2013 and we could have short circuited this entire process and started with him at the beginning of the cycle. But by that stage he was close to agreeing to joining Real Madrid for his first spell in charge and so what might have been a perfect appointment never happened."

He also named Howe and England manager Thomas Tuchel, adding:

"After Ancelotti, the next two on my short list would be Thomas Tuchel and Eddie Howe, Roy Keane’s suggestion and one of the names suggested by Ashworth in 2024. Again, these are two candidates who know the Premier League inside out and who both have Champions League experience. Howe now has a major trophy as well."

"Obviously Tuchel edges it in terms of experience and the quality of the trophies he has won, with Champions League, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 his biggest achievements. He also reached a Champions League final with PSG. He might have played a back three at times but he is sufficiently adaptable to fit the United DNA and plays with a back four with England."

Carlo Ancelotti has established himself as one of the greatest managers of all time, having won the UEFA Champions League a record five times, and is the only manager to reach six finals. He is also the only manager to win a league title in Europe's top five leagues and could make a positive impact at Manchester United.

Following a successful stint with Real Madrid between 2021 and 2025, Ancelotti was appointed as Brazil's manager in May 2025. The Italian is currently contracted until the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.

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How have Manchester United fared this season?

Ruben Amorim was handed his marching orders earlier this week following a dismal 14-month spell at Manchester United. The former also reportedly fell out with the Red Devils' leadership, including director of football Jason Wilcox, so let's take a look at how they have fared this season to date.

Manchester United are currently seventh in the Premier League table with 32 points from 21 games, three points away from fourth-placed Liverpool, and 17 points off leaders Arsenal. They are not competing in Europe this season and have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

They have only won one out of their last five games and will aim to return to winning ways in their next fixture against Brighton in the FA Cup later today (Sunday, January 11).