Man Utd have set a deadline to have a new permanent manager in place with one top candidate ‘slipping under the radar’, according to reports.

The Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim in January as they looked to go in a different direction after a miserable 14 months under the Portuguese head coach.

Michael Carrick has been appointed as interim manager until the end of the season with their form turning around under the former Middlesbrough boss.

Carrick has won five and drawn one of his first six matches as Man Utdhave shot up to fourth in the Premier Leaguewith a Champions League place in their hands.

There are now calls to make Carrick their next permanent manager after his great start and the Manchester Evening Newsclaim that he ‘will be handed a permanent contract should he secure Champions League qualification.’

If not, then Man Utd are ‘expected to look elsewhere’ for a new head coach but the Red Devils have set a ‘deadline’ of ‘before the World Cup kicks off in North America’ on June 11 to appoint their new permanent boss.

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The report adds: ‘This would enable the chosen one to monitor potential targets at the tournament and make signings, while planning pre-season preparations for the following month.’

Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique ‘remains the preferred choice of numerous senior figures’ but the ‘fear’ is that ‘he will sign a contract extension’ at the French club.

Former Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has ‘admirers in the corridors of power’ at Old Trafford but that isn’t seen as a ‘viable option, while interest in Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone ‘has slipped under the radar’.

On Simeone, the MENadds: ‘His contract runs until 2027, so he would not command a huge amount of compensation. But whatever decision Ratcliffe & Co decide to make, getting it wrong is not an option. Because United have paid quite a price for doing just this in recent times.’

Football Insiderreporter Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Man Utd’s search for their next manager “gets more more complicated by the week” because of Carrick’s success.

O’Rourke told Football Insider: “Man United are looking for a top, elite manager to come into the club this summer.

“But their hunt for a new manager just gets more more complicated by the week because of the success of Michael Carrick.

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“If Carrick continues this brilliant run of form, gets United in the top four, top three, Champions League football, there’s going to be a swell for him to get the job on a permanent basis.

“So it will be interesting to see how the season pans out from now. Man United are going really well under Carrick and you’d probably say he right now is in the driving seat.”

Man Utd legend Gary Neville has urged the Red Devils to continue to pursue another manager while it isn’t nailed on that Carrick will get the job.

Neville said on Sky Sports: “Manchester United have to pursue another manager right now around the fact that you don’t know how the results are going to go. But little things like Thomas Tuchel re-signing with England does start to take away the options for Manchester United and they don’t harm Michael’s chances of getting the job.”

Neville added: “If he gets United into the Champions League there will be a lot of fever around that should be appointed. I’m not against him being appointed, I love him to bits.

“But I think United should go for the best class of manager available. They’ve had young and inexperienced managers in the last two picks. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come in before as an ex-player and that didn’t work in the end. So I feel removing as much risk as possible is the right option.”