Niko Kovac: Man United among PL sides eyeing Borussia Dortmund boss

Michael Carrick began his second managerial stint with Manchester United by securing a convincing 2-0 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday, 17 November, in the Premier League . Second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu helped the Red Devils register their first win and first clean sheet of 2026.

United parted ways with former head coach Ruben Amorim after a poor run of results and initially put Darren Fletcher in interim charge. Earlier this week, Carrick was handed the caretaker role until the end of the season, with a permanent appointment expected to be made this summer.

Several candidates have been linked with the hot seat at the Theatre of Dreams in recent times, including Thomas Tuchel , Oliver Glasner and Luis Enrique. However, it now appears that the Premier League giants also have a Bundesliga manager on their shortlist for the full-time job.

According to TEAMtalk , United have set their sights on Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac for the permanent position at Old Trafford. The report states: “Manchester United are already working behind the scenes as they plan for next season, and one of the names on their shortlist for the head coach role is Niko Kovač.”

“The Croatian coach, who is currently in charge of Borussia Dortmund, is considered a profile to watch closely in the coming months.”

“At this stage, there are no direct contacts or negotiations between Manchester United and Kovač. The English club does not plan to open formal talks until late spring, when a clearer picture of the future technical project will be defined.”

The report adds that Chelsea were eager to bring the Croatian to Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca’s successor. However, the Blues abandoned the idea after learning that Kovac has no desire to leave Signal Iduna Park in the middle of the season.

The Croatian is under contract with the Bundesliga club until 2027, and his situation could change at the end of the season. For now, the Red Devils are expected to keep him under close watch.

Kovac began his managerial career with the Croatian Under-21 team in 2013, before taking over the senior side later that year. His foray into club football began with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the DFB-Pokal, prompting Bayern Munich to take note.

The Bavarians secured his services in the summer of 2018, and he won three trophies in his debut season, including the Bundesliga . However, he was removed from his position the following campaign, and after stints with Monaco and Wolfsburg, Kovac took over at Signal Iduna Park in January 2025.

Since his arrival, the Croatian has registered 29 wins in 51 games for Dortmund, with a 56.86% win ratio.

Source – Wikipedia .

During his managerial career, Kovac has shown a preference for the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3-1 system, with his teams displaying high-intensity pressing and fast transitions.

United are likely to prefer candidates with prior Premier League experience, with Tuchel, Glasner and even Carlo Ancelotti on their radar. While Kovac is a respectable name in Europe, his lack of experience in the top tier of English football does put him on the back foot.

However, INEOS are likely to take ample time and assess all options before selecting their preferred candidate, so it would be wrong to rule out the Croatian just yet.

Feature image Christof Koepsel via Getty Images

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