Report: United could target Ancelotti if moves for long-term targets fail

Manchester United may consider pursuing Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti this summer if attempts to sign one of their long-term coaching candidates falls short, according to ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

The Premier League club will reportedly aim to make a long-term appointment before the 2022-23 season begins. Football director John Murtough confirmed Monday that a “thorough” search for a new permanent manager is underway.

Paris Saint-Germain Mauricio Pochettino headlines a list of high-profile candidates – including Ajax boss Erik ten Hag – linked to the coveted role, which interim boss Ralf Rangnick currently occupies.

But the Red Devils could bring Ancelotti aboard as a short-term solution if things don’t go to plan this summer.

Legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who is understood to have close ties to Ancelotti, has instructed his former club to consider signing the 62-year-old in the event that one of the team’s primary targets isn’t available, Dawson reports.

The allure of bringing Ancelotti to Old Trafford stems from his vast experience working at big European clubs and his success in the Premier League and Champions League. He helped Chelsea win the Premier League in 2010 before lifting the Champions League trophy during his first spell at Real Madrid in 2014.

Ancelotti recently managed Everton for less than a season before Real Madrid offered him a chance to return in June 2021. Los Blancos sit atop La Liga with a six-point gap between them and second-place Sevilla.

Manchester United reside in the final Champions League spot but are in danger of losing their place. The club holds a two-point advantage over an Arsenal side that has three games in hand.