Manchester United icon Patrice Evra has decided he wants to see Luis Enrique be appointed as the Red Devils’ next manager.
United are set to appoint a long-term boss in the summer after Michael Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim as interim manager earlier this year, and the former midfielder has put his name in the running with an impressive start to his tenure.
But other names are in the fold too, and a number of former United stars have thrown their hats in the ring in terms of giving their thoughts on who should be appointed.
Evra, who played for United between 2006 and 2014, is the latest, and has suggested his former side should go all out to get Paris Saint-Germain manager Enrique.
He told Stake: ‘I’m not talking to the Man United board or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but in my honest opinion, with no disrespect to PSG or Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Luis Enrique would be a dream coach for Man United.
‘I love the man, I love his philosophy, what he went through in his personal life and overcame it shows his personality. The job he’s done at PSG by bringing them a Champions League without Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or Neymar, it’s a fantastic job.
‘Players would have to work really hard to play for Man United, they’ll have to run a lot and I think Enrique would bring that.’
Enrique won the Treble with PSG last season, leading them to their first Champions League title after years of trying by the French club.
He is now one of the most sought-after managers in world football, but it remains to be seen whether United would be able to tempt him to the Premier League.
Carrick remains in the running after an impressive reign so far that seems set to deliver Champions League football for United. Evra, who played alongside the former midfielder, suggested he should remain under consideration.
‘I don’t think we should write off Michael Carrick,’ he continued. ‘He’s done a great job and we need to give him an opportunity.
‘People want an amazing manager for Man United, but right now, we need someone who understands the club and the players. Enrique is a genius tactician and great with players, but I think Carrick deserves a chance.’
Evra took aim at some of his former team-mates last week after they were critical of Carrick’s work so far.
The Frenchman namechecked Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, and Roy Keane in a withering takedown of their credentials.
It comes after all three have suggested Carrick should not get the permanent job in the summer, with Scholes most recently branding United ‘c**p’ under him.
Evra, who won five Premier League titles with United, claims that none of them have a leg to stand on after their own failures as managers.
‘I hope Paul Scholes’ Instagram story is fake, I hope he was hacked,’ Evra told Stake.
‘To be honest, I’m not surprised at that from Scholesy. He was the quietest player I’ve ever played with in my entire career. Now, in the media, he drops bombshells.
‘I really don’t understand the lack of support behind Michael Carrick, he’s one of us and he’s doing very well.
‘There’s been negative analysis from Scholesy, but also from Roy Keane and Gary Neville. It annoys me because we want to be in the top four, and those comments are unnecessary, but this is what you do when you work in TV. You can’t be positive, you have to be negative.
‘Most of these guys get a managerial job and get fired straightaway. I said to Neville: “It’s easy to talk on TV. When you were at Valencia, they asked you for paella, and you gave them fish and chips.”
‘After three months, they said goodbye. People can’t forget what they have done as a manager. As players, they’re legends, but as managers, they haven’t done a great job. So for them to speak and possibly kill the career of a manager, it’s a little bit too much.’
