Conte is ‘absolutely ready’: Man Utd sent ‘clear message’ in case of Carrick sack

9 Oct 2026 08:56 BST 2 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Antonio Conte has ramped up the pressure on Manchester United manager Michael Carrick by sending a “clear message” that he is ready to get back into work.

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Carrick finds his post at Man Utd under scrutiny after a disappointing start to the Premier League campaign that has seen the Red Devils pick up only five points from their first five games.

And with a crunch fixture against Tottenham looming on Sunday, the former Spurs and Chelsea boss appears to have given the green light for the Old Trafford side to sound him out about the role.

Romano confirms Conte’s availability and fuels Man Utd rumours

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the availability of the Italian, who led the Blues to the 2016/17 Premier League crown.

Speaking on YouTube, Romano said: “Antonio Conte gave a strong quote to The Athletic over the recent days, saying, ‘I like when there are clubs with a top history who are maybe now in a difficult moment and they want to go to a club. I can help to restore the tradition, to restore the history and to win together again.’

“So Antonio Conte is sending you a clear message.

“Some of you are already asking me about Manchester United and what can happen.

“What I can tell you is that Antonio Conte is absolutely ready to restart.

© IMAGO - Antonio Conte has Premier League experience with Chelsea

“Antonio Conte left Napoli in the summer and Antonio Conte would be ready to restart. He rejected approaches from Saudi Arabia. He rejected approaches from Turkey because he wanted to go to a historical club and in a top, top league.

“So this is the mission.

“Then let us see what is going to happen. At the moment, it is the intention from Antonio Conte. We will see all the rest.”

Man Utd’s next manager? Why Conte is not an automatic choice

Despite Conte’s availability, there are very real questions over his suitability for Man Utd.

Traditionally, the Manchester club have played front-footed, attacking football, but the 57-year-old is more renowned as a pragmatic manager who places more emphasis on results than style.

With a similar boss in Jose Mourinho having already been tested with a comparative lack of success, he would be a risky appointment for that reason.

Furthermore, there are real questions over the lasting impact that Conte has. While he has won an impressive six top-flight titles in England and Italy, he has never lasted more than three years at any club over the course of a managerial career that has spanned 20 years.

In particular, he has faced criticism over his loan management for players, with his teams typically struggling when competing in European football. This could be a particular challenge at Man Utd this season, where there is a thin squad for the volume of fixtures the team is playing this season.