Valverde has been out of work since leaving Barcelona
Manchester United are in talks with Ernesto Valverde about the Spaniard taking the interim manager’s role, reports the Guardian.
Valverde has been out of work since leaving Barcelona in January, 2020, where he won two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey and is understood to have also discussed potential signings should he be given the job.
The 57-year-old is also led to be liked by the hierarchy at Old Trafford due to his ability to handle big players following his work with Lionel Messi and they believe he would help with the profiles of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba.
Valverde himself has also previously displayed an interest in one day managing in the Premier League in a previous interview with the Observer in which he said: “I wouldn’t mind trying it. You get the feeling that there’s a respect there for what the game is.”
United are looking for a new manager after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday but are willing to wait to appoint a permanent boss with Mauricio Pochettino heavily linked with the role.
Laurent Blanc is another name that has been touted for the interim job, with them likely to only be in charge until the end of the season to allow time to find the appropriate permanent man for the job.
In the meantime, Michael Carrick is in charge on a temporary basis as United look to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages with a win away to Villarreal.
Carrick has made bold decisions in his line-up for his first game in charge, with the biggest call arguably the dropping of Bruno Fernandes from the starting XI.
Meanwhile, Donny van de Beek – who struggled to feature regularly under Solskjaer, has been given the chance to start from the off after he came off the bench and scored against Watford last weekend.
Related links:
- Ferdinand suggests ex-United coach should return until Pochettino accepts job
- Man United players unhappy with assistant manager’s ‘school teacher’ approach
- Phil Jones travels with Man Utd squad for Villarreal game despite being ineligible
