Manchester United has identified two clear directions for the position of official head coach at Old Trafford. Either continue to put faith in Michael Carrick or look for a " unicorn" - a term in the football world used to refer to an almost perfect coach.
In modern football, "unicorn" is a way of calling for coaches who meet all criteria: have won major titles, are excellent in tactics, have the ability to deal with superiors (leaders, owners), control the dressing room (players and staff), and handle communication professionally.
The term is also to emphasize scarcity. Not that it doesn't exist, but in this century, perhaps only about 4 or 5 people actually reach that level.
In fact, football does not lack excellent coaches, but most of them have limitations. Jose Mourinho has repeatedly had conflicts with leaders and players in different clubs. Diego Simeone has not yet been able to conquer the UEFA Champions League with Atletico Madrid. Meanwhile, the new generation of coaches such as Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola or Mikel Arteta have not yet fully met the necessary criteria.
Man United once owned a true "unicorn" for nearly three decades - Sir Alex Ferguson. Under his leadership, the team won 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champions League titles. But since Ferguson retired in 2013, the journey to find a worthy successor has not ended.
In the opposite direction, direct opponents find almost perfect models. Manchester City has Pep Guardiola, Liverpool once had Jurgen Klopp, and Real Madrid is associated with Carlo Ancelotti - the most recent coaches with the concept of " unicorn".
In that context, when Carrick's short-term contract was about to expire, a name emerged as the ideal choice, Luis Enrique. The Paris Saint-Germain coach is one of the very few people who both won the Champions League and won the treble - something he did with Barcelona in 2015.
Enrique's success at PSG further strengthens that position. He not only helped the French team conquer Europe, but also rebuilt the squad towards rejuvenation, especially after parting ways with superstars like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Enrique's contract in Paris will expire at the end of next season and has not been officially renewed, although negotiations are underway. This opens up opportunities for Man United - or any other big team - to test his loyalty.
In the context that Guardiola, Klopp or Ancelotti are not feasible, Enrique is almost the only option that fully meets the criteria that Man United is looking for.
However, Carrick is not without opportunities. Since replacing Ruben Amorim in January, he has created a clear change at Old Trafford. A victory over Brentford could bring the team closer to a Champions League spot, thereby significantly consolidating his position.
However, Carrick is still an unknown at the highest level. He does not have much experience fighting in major arenas, and the question of whether he can compete with coaches like Guardiola or Enrique to win major titles is still open.
In fact, Man United had a chance with Enrique. In 2022, they contacted him during the process of finding a replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But Enrique then refused, because he wanted to complete his mission with the Spanish national team at the World Cup.
After that, Man United chose Erik ten Hag instead of Mauricio Pochettino. But what Enrique did at PSG made many people believe that the team had missed a great opportunity.
However, persuading Enrique to leave Paris will not be easy. Man United will have to prove their clear ambition in both sports and finance if they want to persuade him to move to the Premier League.
Besides Carrick and Enrique, other options such as Iraola, Julian Nagelsmann or Unai Emery all have their own question marks about their ability to withstand pressure or the level of suitability for the environment at Old Trafford.
Carrick has proven that he can work under great pressure. But if the goal is to bring Man United back to the top of English and European football, the most important question will appear - is he the perfect piece?
Conversely, Enrique has almost no doubts. And if Man United really wants to return to the number one position, they may have to find a " unicorn", even though they know that it is so rare that it almost does not exist.
