Antonio Conte’s appeal to Manchester United is becoming easier to understand. The club is stumbling through its worst league start in 40 years, and former Italy international Paolo Di Canio says the Italian could bring order to a team he sees as improvised and disjointed. That’s a specific case for Conte, not proof that he’d be the right long-term choice.
Michael Carrick bought himself some breathing room with a comeback win over Roma this week. But one result hasn’t erased the pressure built by United’s league form: after nine matches, they have one win, four draws and four defeats, leaving them close to the relegation places. Another poor result this weekend could put them in the bottom three. The margin for error is already thin.
Why Conte is in the conversation
The situation looks stark after a summer of spending and a positive finish to last season under Carrick. Those facts sharpen the contrast between expectation and performance, though spending alone doesn’t explain why a team is struggling. United need points quickly, while Conte appears keen to return to management after leaving Napoli in June.
A third spell in the Premier League is plausible. Conte previously managed Chelsea and Tottenham, and his methods could appeal to supporters who want a sharp change in standards at Old Trafford. A new manager can reset routines and clarify responsibilities, but those changes still depend on how players respond and whether the club’s leadership supports the approach.
The concern is how long that reset might last. Since leaving Juventus in 2014, Conte hasn’t remained at a club for more than two years. That record doesn’t settle how a United appointment would go, but it gives the club a clear question to weigh alongside his potential immediate impact: what happens after the initial burst of change?
That short track record makes the appointment a difficult fit to judge. Conte could offer an immediate lift, but United might soon face another change at the top if the relationship runs its familiar course. This is more significant than it looks: in a season when points are urgent, the club would need to balance short-term urgency against the cost of another managerial transition.
Di Canio’s case for Conte
Di Canio didn’t call Conte an ideal match for United. His argument was narrower: the club needs organisation. “Antonio would bring organization to a club that currently operates in a purely ad-hoc, improvised manner,” he told La Repubblica. The distinction matters. Di Canio is making a claim about the team’s structure, not laying out a broader case about recruitment, club management or the length of Conte’s tenure.
He described the current squad as “a disorganized, ragtag bunch” and pointed to the Roma result as a reminder of the gap between the Premier League and Serie A. United, he said, “completely steamrolled Gasperini’s side” by applying “a bit of spirit.” He added that Roma are “devastating in terms of its tempo” in Italy. His comments offer a pointed reading of one match, but a single performance can’t show whether United have solved the problems visible across their league campaign.
And yet the match gives Di Canio’s argument a useful edge. A team can look capable of imposing itself in one game and still lack consistency over a run of fixtures. If you’re working in this space, the question isn’t just whether United can produce another energetic performance; it’s whether they can repeat the organisation and effort when the next result is under pressure. The harder test is sustained discipline.
What United’s next decision signals
For now, United appear set on backing Carrick despite the poor start. Whether that patience holds will depend on results, and the next match carries added weight because the table leaves little room for another setback. Conte’s availability keeps the question alive, but availability is only one part of a managerial decision. The club would also have to decide whether it wants the immediate demands associated with his methods and whether it can maintain that direction.
Di Canio’s comments frame the immediate issue clearly: United need a more organised team, and Carrick has to show he can provide one. Here's the thing: the Roma win buys time, but it doesn’t answer that question. The coming results will show whether it marked a repeatable shift or a brief interruption in a poor league run—and that distinction could shape how long the club stays committed to its current course.