Roy Keane has publicly identified Eddie Howe as his preferred candidate to become Manchester United’s next permanent manager. Keane, speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, highlighted Howe’s experience and temperament as reasons he would back the Newcastle United manager for the Old Trafford job.

The context of the discussion is a club in transition. The breakdown of Amorim’s relationship with key figures at United—namely technical director Jason Wilcox—has been cited as the primary reason for his departure, although results have remained inconsistent this season despite being an improvement on the record low 2024–25 campaign. Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher is currently minding the ship while the club looks for an interim manager to take them through to the end of the season. Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Michael Carrick are the two leading candidates to return to Old Trafford.

Keane was clear in his preference. “I’d go with Eddie Howe. I like him,” Keane said. “I like what he’s done. He’s managed a lot of games. When his teams are at it, they’ll play good football. He has his critics, but I like what he’s done at Newcastle.

“He’s managed seven or 800 games. He’s still a young man. I love his calmness. Maybe Man Utd need a little bit of that.

“We’ve seen with our previous [appointments], we like people with emotions, but he’s got that calmness. The job he’s done at Newcastle, Champions League and winning a cup, I’d be happy to see him go in there.”

Keane added: “Do I think Fletch is the man to do it? Absolutely not,” he continued. “But he’s stepping into do it for a few weeks and a few months. He’ll probably win a few games. If they go with Ole, good luck to them. I wish him well.

“They need to get a top manager in to get a grip of the dressing room.”

Howe’s record at Newcastle is outlined in basic figures: 203 games managed, 103 wins, a 50.74% win rate, best Premier League finishes of fourth in 2022–23 and fifth in 2024–25, and the 2024–25 EFL Cup among his achievements. Howe has been at St James’ Park since November 2021 and has repeatedly stated his current commitment to the club. “No, not at this current time. The most important thing for me is happiness in the role, happiness in the job. The relationships I have with the people around me.

“Now, that’s not always been consistently good and things can change at any football club. But, at the moment, I am very happy. We have made some great appointments in the roles we needed to fill and as long as I can express myself in the best way possible, the best version of myself to help the players and the club [I’ll stay].

“Because ultimately, for any club to be successful, there has to be unity from top to bottom and a good feeling between everybody. I’ve had an unbelievable relationship with the board here since I’ve come to the football club and that’s never changed.

“I’m very happy and I hope that continues for a long time.”

Darren Fletcher will remain in temporary charge for Manchester United’s FA Cup tie with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, and the club does not expect to name an interim manager until after that fixture. Club sources have indicated an interim appointment is likely to follow the weekend match, with former United figures under consideration.

Among those mentioned as possible candidates are Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Michael Carrick, while Ruud van Nistelrooy has also been named as an alternative. Fletcher confirmed the immediate plan following Wednesday’s 2–2 draw with Burnley.

“They’ve informed me they’d like me to take the team for Sunday,” Fletcher told the media after Wednesday’s 2–2 draw with Burnley.

“There was a feeling that might have been the case from Monday, but we wanted to focus on Burnley. I’m tasked with leading the team on Sunday, so all my focus and energy goes to that now.”

There had been hope the club might confirm a new interim coach in the coming days, but Fletcher said officials had asked him to prepare for the Brighton match as well.

Frustration among supporters over the original decision to appoint Amorim has been growing, and the situation has exposed signs of uncertainty at boardroom level towards the Portuguese boss.

For former United defender Gary Neville, the club’s pattern of interim solutions and returning to familiar faces is a recurring theme. “They put Ryan [Giggs] in charge 10 years ago, then Ole came in charge and you go back to the old boys, then you go for a new one, then you go for more experience,” Neville said on Sky Sports.

“It is almost like a cycle, like a movie we have all seen before and Groundhog Day. What I do think is Ole is someone who absolutely loves the club, he knows the job, he has been in the job.

“The other names that have been mentioned—Michael Carrick, Ruud van Nistelrooy—these are really fantastic people. I trained with those guys for a lot of years.

“They love the club intensely, they get the club, but still they are going to come under a lot of pressure in this next four or five months if results don’t go their way and they are going to have to be ready for that.

“Whoever is going to get it out of those three who are being mentioned, I wish them all the best because it is a tough role.”

Manchester United expect the events around Ruben Amorim’s dismissal to have little effect on their January recruitment plans, according to reports. Interest in Antoine Semenyo remains opportunistic because of a £65 million release clause, but Semenyo’s preference for Manchester City, over the Red Devils and other rumoured suitors, will not force United into an alternative deal.

Reports add that “no meaningful change” to the club’s transfer strategy will come as a result of Amorim’s exit. The decision to delay significant buying now is framed as a way to preserve budget for the summer, when targets such as Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton could command nine-figure fees.

Amorim had expressed frustration on Christmas Eve, saying: “I have the feeling that if we have to play a perfect 3-4-3 we need to spend a lot of money and need time. I’m starting to understand that is not going to happen.” He refused to clarify those comments only three days before losing his job.

The reported strategy emphasises recruitment control resting with director of football Jason Wilcox and a club-led approach, rather than being driven solely by an individual first-team manager. That balance is said to have been a factor in a sudden breakdown in the relationship between Wilcox and Amorim, which contributed to Amorim’s exit.

Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, and whichever interim boss follows until the end of the season—Ole Gunnar Solskjær has thrown his hat into the ring and Michael Carrick is linked—are expected to work with the squad as it stands to find more consistent results. Attention will focus on the team Fletcher selects for the Premier League match with Burnley and the formation he chooses.

Amorim spent more than a year trying to shape a 3-4-2-1, with Patrick Dorgu a signing aimed at that system, but he reverted to a 4-2-3-1 for the December visit of Newcastle United. Much of the squad is judged to be well suited to a conventional 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3.