After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 35-month reign ended on Sunday, Manchester United is looking for a new manager for the fifth time since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

United have announced that former midfielder Michael Carrick will take temporary charge until an interim manager is appointed until the end of the season due to the lack of a proven and available candidate to replace Solskjaer. Although United's owners, the Glazer family, are starting from scratch in their search for a new manager, there are several excellent candidates.

MAURICIO POCHETTINO

United's first choice to replace Solskjaer is the head coach of Paris Saint-Germain. Mauricio Pochettino was also a top target to succeed Jose Mourinho in 2018-19, but after Solskjaer's initial success as interim manager, United decided to give Solskjaer a permanent contract rather than pursue Pochettino.

Pochettino is rumored to be open to leaving PSG for United, which means the Old Trafford club has a real chance to land their man, though it won't be easy. Pochettino joined PSG this summer on a two-year deal. If United approaches, the Ligue 1 club which is one of the wealthiest in the world, is expected to demand a large compensation package. Regardless, United's top brass have chosen Pochettino because of his track record of developing an exciting young team at Tottenham, and they must now decide whether they are prepared to take on PSG.

BRENDAN RODGERS

Even though Leicester City has struggled to match their previous two seasons' results under Rodgers, senior United figures view the former Liverpool and Celtic manager as the best domestic option to succeed Solskjaer.

Leicester's season has been hampered by injuries to key players such as Wesley Fofana, James Justin, and Youri Tielemans, but securing a place in Europe and winning the FA Cup for the first time at the King Power Stadium is a tangible achievement, thanks to Rodgers. He's also praised as a coach who plays the exciting, attacking football that United fans demand.

His Liverpool past is a disadvantage. United does not want to be seen as hiring a manager who was fired by one of their biggest rivals, but Rodgers has improved Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester, proving he has the experience United requires.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

An out-of-work manager with three Champions League titles and a track record of getting the best out of some of the game's biggest names at Real Madrid appears to be a clear favorite. However, the fact that United has yet to hire Zidane suggests that both sides have reservations about his suitability for the Old Trafford job.

According to rumors, Zidane, whose command of the English language is limited, has no strong desire to coach in England, preferring instead to coach France or Paris Saint-Germain. Despite his winning record at Real, United sources have raised doubts about his ability to develop good players rather than simply manage the egos of great ones.

Although Zidane is unlikely to become United's next manager, both parties may be tempted to overcome their misgivings while he is still available if their favored options prove to be out of reach.

ERIK TEN HAG

Ten Hag, 51, is regarded as a rising star in the Netherlands, having led Ajax to consecutive league and cup doubles. Ten Hag, a former centre-back who spent time with Twente, Utrecht, and RKC Waalwijk during his playing career, has climbed his way up the coaching ranks, including two years with Bayern Munich's reserve team, before landing at Ajax.

Ten Hag's lack of top-level expertise in a major league makes him a risky appointment for United, despite the fact that he has built a young, vibrant team in the Ajax tradition. As players like Donny van de Beek and Hakim Ziyech have recently demonstrated, the transition from the Eredivisie to the Premier League is difficult, and Ten Hag will likely need to take another step up the ladder before taking on a task as huge as the one at Old Trafford.

GARETH SOTUHGATE

Gareth Southgate appears to have put an end to any chance of taking over at Manchester United by signing a new contract as England manager on Monday, just 24 hours after Solskjaer's departure was confirmed. With the 2022 World Cup just a year away, it's hard to imagine Southgate passing up the opportunity to make England world champions.

Nevertheless, South Gate is second to none in terms of trusting young players, managing with understated discipline, and demonstrating a willingness to work within a football structure, especially after transforming England from perennial underachievers to a team that now competes for titles. Even with the World Cup on the horizon, it would be a bold move for an Englishman to turn down the chance to manage Manchester United.

ERNESTO VALVERDE

Although the Spaniard has been unemployed since January 2020, he has approximately 20 years of management experience.

His general management style appears to be well-suited to the demands of an interim position. The 57-year-old is calm and collected, and he's proven to be a strategic thinker over the years. Valverde isn't known for playing fluid offense. Rather, he prioritizes achieving balance and cultivating a functional system over all else.

Valverde's preferred systems at Camp Nou were 4-3-3 and 4-4-2, though it's unclear how he'd assess United's current squad. In Manchester, he'd find a group of attackers. Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Edinson Cavani, Bruno Fernandes, Donny van de Beek, Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Anthony Martial who all expect to play. It's nearly impossible to please everyone, but given Valverde's recent track record, it's fair to presume he would coach his players to work as a unit, even if it meant benching some of United's most prominent players.