ancient Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn says Julian Nagelsmann would take ‘huge risk’ Manchester United where “all managers fail sooner or later”.
Nagelsmann is one of the leading candidates to take over if United were to do away with Michael Carrick, who is on shaky ground with the club currently enduring their worst start to a league season in 40 years.
4-1 on Wednesday night at Como in the Champions League It was another awful result and a performance with captain Bruno Fernandes not helped by Carrick questioning his manager’s tactics in the media afterwards.
Nagelsmann is believed to be part of a list that also includes Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, as well as Antonio Conte and Eddie Howe.
But Kahn, who worked as chief executive at Bayern when Nagelsmann was head coach, believes the 39-year-old would have to consider a move to Old Trafford very carefully if offered the job.
He told German TV show Triple – der Hagedorn Fußballtalk: “From his point of view, it’s not an easy situation. He’s not someone with a lot of experience, especially when it comes to foreign teams.
“He has to ask himself: What is my next step? Does it have to be the right one? Or do I immediately associate it with a huge risk like Manchester United, where essentially every manager in recent years has failed sooner or later? You should look very carefully where you are going.”
Nagelsmann cannot afford another failure, says Kahn
Nagelsmann’s shares have fallen in recent years. After bursting onto the scene with impressive spells at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, his progress has stalled. A two-year spell at Bayern resulted in a Bundesliga title, while with Germany he reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Kahn believes he needs to find a project to get him back on track.
He added: “Bayern Munich and the national team were already big hits for him. You have to think: where are my strengths? Which club can I really help? I think Julian is someone who can develop a club and a team and take them further. Whether Manchester United is the right next step for that is something only he can know.”
Howe and Conte are both out of work and would jump at the chance to take over at United.
Nagelsmann is believed to be a bit more reluctant, while both Hurzeler and Emery are tied to contracts that would make it difficult, and very expansive, to remove them.