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Former Manchester United defender Paul McGrath has picked Italy manager Roberto Mancini as his ideal candidate to take charge of the Red Devils in the summer.
Mancini has been in charge of the Italy national team since May 2018. The 57-year-old, who has a contract with the Azzurri until 2026, led the side to European Championship glory last year.
While he has four more years remaining on his deal with Italy, there are serious doubts about his future with them. The European Champions winners failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after losing 0-1 to North Macedonia in the qualifiers last week, thus putting Mancini's future with them under threat. Fabrizio Romano's latest tweet on the matter reads:
Having failed to secure a World Cup spot with Italy, Mancini will likely step down as their manager soon, according to McGrath. The Irishman feels the Red Devils should eye the former Manchester City boss should he leave Italy. In his Sunday World column, he wrote:
"I didn't think my comments last week about Manchester United waiting to get a top manager from the World Cup Finals would have such relevance so soon. But here we are, we didn't have to wait for the winter World Cup to be played, Roberto Mancini is surely available now."
"After last Thursday's incredible defeat in Palermo to North Macedonia, Mancini won't hang around with Italy for another year before he can even begin the qualifying process for Euro 2024."
McGrath pointed out that Mancini has a proven track record as a manager and insisted he is what Manchester United need. The former Red Devils defender believes the Italian will not put up with any underperformers at Old Trafford. He wrote:
"He's just what United need right now. A strong manager with a proven track record of success with his clubs and with his country. Mancini would take no guff off any under-performing Manchester United stars."
"Indeed, I know for a fact that he has gone to top players after arriving at a club and simply told players to their face - 'get your agent to find you a new club, you're out of here'. Mancini didn't become a bad manager off the back of what was clearly a freak result in Sicily last week."
It is worth noting that Mancini was previously in charge of the Red Devils' arch-rivals Manchester City. He managed the Citizens for four years between 2009 and 2013. He famously led Cityzens to their first league title since 1968 snatching the title from Manchester United's hands on the very last day of the 2011-12 campaign.
Sergio Aguero scored a last-gasp winner against Queens Park Rangers and City won the title on goal difference.
Manchester United are on the hunt for a new manager
Ralf Rangnick is currently in charge of the Premier League giants. However, the German is expected to move to a consultancy role at the club at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils have begun the process of appointing a long-term replacement for their former permanent boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They have been linked with a host of managers recently.
The likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique are said to be in the mix for the managerial job at Old Trafford. Ajax coach Erik ten Hag, though, appears to be the frontrunner for the role as per the Manchester Evening News.
