I won the Prem at Man City – there's one manager Man United can't ignore despite Michael Carrick

Manchester United have been told to sign one managerial target in the event he's available, even if Michael Carrick has revived the club

Despite Michael Carrick's success so far as interim Manchester United manager, Joleon Lescott believes the club should look elsewhere this summer. Or more specifically, he's suggested the club has to recruit Luis Enrique as coach in the event he becomes available.

The Paris Saint-Germain boss has been touted as a candidate for the United job for a number of years. Talk of a move to Old Trafford has gathered pace as the Red Devils go about appointing their next permanent manager, and Lescott believes the ex-Barca tactician would be too good to turn down.

"I think that they have to give him [Carrick] the job. [Because] of the results, the impact he's made, the feel of it, the calmness he brings," said two-time Premier League champion Lescott on the latest episode of the All Out Football podcast. "I think that's him as a person.

"Even after the [Newcastle] defeat, it wasn't the end of the world. I remember [United] winning games in a row, and they were still waiting for something to go wrong, whereas it doesn't feel like that [under Carrick], it's like, 'Something's gone wrong...okay, we'll just reset and we'll go again'.

You can listen to brand new episodes of In The Mixer on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

“So he's definitely created that. But yeah, I think [Enrique] is the only manager they should look at. And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way to Michael Carrick. It's like if you've got [Bukayo] Saka, if Lamine Yamal is available, you'd still sign him, do you know what I mean? I'm not saying you're playing him ahead of him, but you still sign him, don't you?"

Carrick has revitalised United in a major way and lifted the club up to third in the Premier League. He's won six and lost just one of his eight games in charge to date, inspiring talk among many fans that he deserves the nod on permanent terms.

However, Lescott took a slightly less emotional approach to the matter and suggested Enrique's track record makes him the better pick. The 55-year-old has won numerous major titles with Barcelona and PSG, as well as being named Manager of the Year in both Spain and France.

When asked if United should opt for Enrique as boss in the event he's up for grabs, Lescott replied: "Yes, because I think he's more capable of winning them things. I'm not saying Michael Carrick can't, but if title contenders, and then you're looking at the manager factor, like as great as Man City's squad is, if Pep [Guardiola] isn't the manager, they're not as strong contenders.

"And I think Enrique has that factor...well, he definitely does because he's won [so much]. So that's the thing I'm looking at. I'm saying if Michael Carrick can definitely compete and be a title contender, but they're stronger if it's Enrique [in charge]."

There's no telling how high United's ceiling could be under Carrick. The former Middlesbrough chief is still only starting out in his managerial career but has ticked all the right boxes since taking over at the United helm on an interim basis.

Fellow club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed a similar honeymoon period when he was first appointed interim coach in the past. However, the early momentum he enjoyed ultimately wilted before the club cut ties with the Norwegian.

Enrique, on the other hand, doesn't have the same connection to United but is a proven winner at some of Europe's biggest teams. In any case, it was only last month Enrique affirmed his commitment in Paris, suggesting he's not going anywhere soon.

ANDY DUNN EPISODE ON YOUTUBE: Subscribe now to be the first to watch the latest episodes of In The Mixer and other original shows, brought to you by Sky Bet. Watch All Out Football's episode with Andy Dunn here.