Deschamps Not Interested in Manchester United Job
Former France manager Didier Deschamps has no interest in taking the Manchester United job, according to reports in the French media.
Foot Mercato reported that Deschamps has turned down the idea of taking over at Old Trafford, leaving the United hierarchy to look elsewhere as pressure grows on Carrick.
The French outlet said the 58-year-old has reservations over the club situation. United, it said, are engaged in a bad cycle, with clashes between the management and the fans, and their performance in the transfer market is also not good.
Why Deschamps said no
Deschamps has been out of work since his 14-year spell with France ended after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Les Bleus lost to Spain in the semi-finals and were then beaten 6-4 by England in the third-place playoff.
His record with France is among the strongest of any international manager of his generation. He helped France win the 2018 World Cup and reach the final of the 2022 edition, where they were beaten by Argentina. He has not coached a club side since leaving Marseille in 2012.
That long absence from club football makes his reported answer less surprising. A manager who has spent 14 years running a national team, with months between matches and full control of selection, would walk into a club in crisis, with a squad short of confidence and a fanbase at odds with the board.
The report also fits the pattern of United’s search. The club has cycled through managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and each appointment has carried the same warning: the job is bigger than the team sheet.
Manchester United job: the scale of the task
United sit 17th in the Premier League, above the relegation zone only on goal difference, with just seven points from nine games. They have also endured their longest winless streak since 1984.
Tuesday’s 3-2 win against AS Roma in the Champions League was the Red Devils’ first victory in 10 games across all competitions. United trailed 2-0 within 17 minutes at Old Trafford before mounting a comeback, with Bruno Fernandes scoring from a retaken penalty in the second half. Matheus Cunha’s late brace sealed the win for Carrick’s side.
The board decided to stick with Carrick despite a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth, which followed a 4-1 drubbing at Como in the Champions League. They gave him a chance in the Chelsea game, but United suffered another defeat, with goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer on Saturday.
Chelsea beat Manchester United in that game, and the defeat left Carrick’s position under fresh scrutiny. The Bournemouth loss had already pushed him to the brink, with United’s home defeat to Bournemouth described at the time as a result that could end his spell in charge. Before the Chelsea match, Carrick held a meeting with Bruno Fernandes as the squad tried to steady itself.
United’s Premier League game against Aston Villa at Old Trafford is said to be Carrick’s last chance to turn around results in the English top flight. Villa arrive after Raphinha’s brace helped Barcelona past them in midweek. A defeat would leave the board with little room to stand by Carrick, and a win would only buy time.
What happens next for Carrick
The Villa game comes first. If United win, Carrick survives to the next test. If they lose, the board will have to decide whether to act at once or wait for the international break.
Deschamps, for his part, appears to have made his own decision already. At 58, with a World Cup winner’s medal and 14 years in charge of France, he does not need the United job. The reports suggest he knows what it would cost him, and he is not willing to pay it.
Has Deschamps turned down Manchester United?
Foot Mercato reported that Deschamps has no interest in replacing Michael Carrick, citing reservations over the club’s “bad cycle”, management-fan clashes and poor transfer-market performance.
Why is Carrick under pressure?
United sit 17th in the Premier League with seven points from nine games, and Tuesday’s win over Roma was their first victory in 10 games. The Aston Villa match is described as his last chance.
When is United’s next game?
Manchester United face Aston Villa at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
What did Deschamps win with France?
He won the 2018 World Cup and reached the 2022 final, where France lost to Argentina. His 14-year spell ended after the 2026 World Cup.
