Keane Backs Howe for United Job; Ornstein Details Interim Contenders as Club Seeks Old Trafford Continuity

Manchester United's search for a new permanent manager has moved into sharp focus following Ruben Amorim's departure on Monday morning, with the club now planning to install an interim solution before making a permanent appointment in the summer.

Amorim's tenure became unsustainable after friction with director of football Jason Wilcox, compounded by tactical inflexibility and disappointing results on the pitch. The hierarchy has opted for a caretaker arrangement rather than rushing into a long-term decision.

Roy Keane has wasted little time staking his claim for who should ultimately take the job. The former United skipper has identified Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe as his preferred candidate to lead the club forward.

"Who would I go with? I would go with Eddie Howe," Keane declared on Sky Sports. "I like him, I like what he's doing. He's managed a lot of games. When his teams are at it, they'll play good football. I like what he's done at Newcastle and Bournemouth."

Keane's reasoning rests on several pillars: Howe's vast experience, his relative youth despite having managed 700 or 800 games, his tactical approach, and crucially, his proven ability to deliver silverware and create resilient defensive structures. The Newcastle boss has already lifted a trophy with the Magpies and secured Champions League football.

"He has his critics, but I like him," Keane continued. "I like his calmness and I think Man United need a bit of that. He's won the cup with Newcastle, got them in the Champions League. I would be happy to see Howe go in there. They need someone to go in there and get a grip on these players and make the team hard to beat."

For the interim period, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick have emerged as the leading contenders. However, David Ornstein has highlighted a specific strategic consideration influencing United's thinking.

Speaking to NBC Sports, the respected journalist revealed that the club places significant emphasis on appointing someone with established Manchester United connections. "Wilcox will be meeting Ole and Carrick because he doesn't know them from previously," Ornstein explained. "He won't be meeting with Ruud because he already knows him."

Ornstein noted that whilst Solskjaer remains the frontrunner, Carrick should not be discounted. Ruud van Nistelrooy has also been approached, though his existing relationship with Wilcox appears to have placed him in a different category.

"For whatever reason, the club feels that Solskjaer and Carrick are the two most likely," Ornstein said. "What they wanted was somebody, whoever it will be, who's got the Manchester United connections. They felt that was crucial in this moment of you could say trauma following the departure of Ruben Amorim."