Man Utd could be forced to pursue other manager targets as Tottenham hold talks with Roberto De Zerbi about taking over from Igor Tudor, according to reports.

The Red Devils made a poor start to the new Premier League season but have turned things around in recent weeks under new interim boss Michael Carrick, who replaced Ruben Amorim in January.

Carrick has won six, drawn one and lost one of his first eight matches in charge with Man Utdflying up to third in the Premier League tableand leaving fans dreaming of a Champions League return next season.

It had seemed like INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would opt for the former Man Utd midfielder as their permanent boss in the summer following his incredible start in the interim role.

However, shortly after their defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League, former CBS Sportsjournalist Ben Jacobs insisted that Carrick is not the “frontrunner” for the job and revealed the names of other candidates.

Jacobs said on The United Stand: “I don’t think we can call Michael Carrick the frontrunner for the job.”

MAILBOX: Was watching Liverpool and Arsenal more fun in the ‘pants’ years?

He added: “Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto Martinez are names being discussed at the moment.

“Mauricio Pochettino and Kieran McKenna are still appreciated, but are not expected to be frontrunners for the job.”

Man Utd want to appoint their next permanent manager before the World Cupstarts on June 11 and GiveMeSporthave claimed that De Zerbi is ‘one of United’s preferred external managerial candidates’.

De Zerbi is the obvious candidate as Nagelsmann and Martinez both have World Cup commitments with Germany and Portugal, and Tottenham ‘could stun Man Utd’ by hiring the Italian.

But Tottenhamcould now ruin the Red Devils’ plans if they choose to sack Igor Tudor, who has lost all three of his first three matches as interim boss in north London.

READ: Tudor sacked after triple loss as Tottenham caretaker’s final straw at former clubs remembered

GiveMeSportadd that Spurs ‘could be forced to make a permanent hire earlier than that if Tudor’s poor form continues’ with De Zerbi ready to ‘hold face-to-face talks’ with Tottenham.

Former Man Utd defender Wes Brown insists that there is “no doubt” that Carrick is “in contention” for the permanent gig after his great start.

Brown told BetMGM: “I think if something is working then why change it? You can’t say if Michael [Carrick] will get the job permanently now but there’s no doubt he’s in contention for it.

“He was very much brought in as an interim for the rest of the season and I think we all expected that would be how it would go. However, he’s seriously in the conversation now after what he’s done since he’s come in.

“It’s a seriously hard job – you just have to look at the managers that have come in before him and how much they’ve struggled for evidence of that. He’s managed to get the players playing well again and in doing so they’ve won matches, and, at the end of the day, that’s what the Premier League is about.

“In the past people might have had questions about whether he’s a big enough name for the job but I don’t think they can really do that now,” he added. “Manchester United have gone for big names before and they’ve failed, so I think the fact Michael understands the club and knows what’s expected of the players make him a very strong candidate.

“He knows that more than pretty much any manager they could go for and that’s got to count in his favour. He’s got that experience under his belt now as well and there’s always a case that if they do go down another path and it goes wrong, they’ll look back and realise they made the wrong decision.

“Don’t get me wrong, he still hasn’t been there for very long but I don’t think there are many managers that could have done any better than Michael has done.”

READ NEXT: Man Utd identify ‘prime’ Rashford replacement as ￡15m Prem star is also ‘shortlisted’