Man United, Crystal Palace and Chelsea all linked with move for Andoni Iraola

“It looks as though Carrick has done enough to stay in charge after guiding United back into the Champions League.”

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That achievement changes the temperature. United no longer need to sell a rescue mission. They can sell continuity, stability and a squad that has already responded.

Iraola’s Next Move Now Becomes Fascinating

For Iraola, this may be less rejection than redirection. If Crystal Palace and Chelsea are both possible destinations, his stock remains high. The Spaniard has shown enough at Bournemouth to prove he can impose an idea without needing elite level resources.

United’s decision not to pursue him does not diminish his appeal. It simply shows that timing, context and internal momentum matter. Carrick’s surge has shifted the logic at Old Trafford.

United Must Clarify Quickly

The Daily Mail notes that United may want clarity before players leave for the summer after the Brighton fixture. That makes sense. Transfer targets will ask who they are joining. Current players will want to know who is shaping pre-season. Uncertainty can become expensive.

United were wary of repeating the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer mistake, but Carrick has earned the right to be judged on evidence, not ghosts. Iraola may have been the more fashionable choice. Carrick may now be the more logical one.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Manchester United supporter’s perspective, the Iraola development feels both reassuring and slightly unnerving. Reassuring because it suggests the club finally has a process. They have spoken to candidates, weighed up options and resisted the urge to chase the shiniest managerial name on the market.

Yet it is unnerving because Iraola looked like exactly the kind of coach United have too often ignored, progressive, tactically brave and capable of building a recognisable identity. His Bournemouth side played with conviction, and many fans would have been curious to see what that looked like with better players.

Carrick, though, has made this difficult in the best possible way. Ten wins in 15 games is not noise. Champions League qualification is not luck. If the players believe in him, and if the football has enough direction to convince decision makers, then perhaps United should not overcomplicate it.

The key issue is whether Carrick is being rewarded for a bounce or appointed for a vision. Supporters have lived through emotional decisions before. This one must be colder, sharper and more strategic.

Iraola moving out of the frame tells us United are close. Now they must make the call and back it properly.