Gareth Bale has joined Manchester United legend Paul Scholes in suggesting that Carlo Ancelotti would be an ideal next manager for the Red Devils.

Bale played 99 times under Ancelotti for Real Madrid between 2013 and 2015 and then briefly 2021 and 2022, and the former Tottenham man knows what the Italian great is all about on the touchline.

While working together, Bale scored 40 goals and picked up a further 31 assists, winning the likes of the Champions League and the Spanish Cup at the Bernabeu.

Ancelotti has been tipped to take over at Old Trafford by a number of pundits, with Scholes suggesting he would be the ‘perfect’ option to take the reins.

And Bale agreed. Speaking on The Overlap, the now-retired forward sang the praises of his former boss, giving an insight into how the 66-year-old operates on a day to day basis.

‘I think he would do great,’ Bale said. ‘He’s not just the manager, he is a coach as well. (But) He can do the tactical stuff.

Gareth Bale (pictured) has suggested that Carlo Ancelotti would be ‘great’ as Man United’s next manager

Bale played 99 times under Ancelotti (right) for Madrid and gave an insight into how he works

‘When he was the head coach in his second spell (at Real Madrid), he did a lot more tactically then than we did the first time, but I think we had a better team the first time. Wherever Carlo goes, I think he would do an amazing job, just because he gets everyone on board.

‘If you go into a big club, you’ve got good players, whether they’re performing at the time or not. Like Man United, they have been the last few weeks, but, prior to that, they hadn’t been performing, but they’ve got good players. He’ll get the best out of players and will just simplify things, which you see now with Michael Carrick.

‘He’s simplifying a lot of things that the previous manager was doing, and you’re getting results. So that’s Carlo’s genius, getting the best out of the players and just making it simple.’

United are set to appoint a long-term boss in the summer after Carrick took over from Ruben Amorim as interim manager earlier this year, and the former midfielder has put his name in the running with an impressive start to his tenure.

He had the joint-best record of any manager in Premier League history over their first seven games, winning six of those matches and drawing one, before losing to Newcastle on Wednesday. 

Former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti will lead Brazil at the World Cup this summer, but United could try and tempt him away from that role with an offer for next season.

And that’s a great idea, according to Scholes.

‘The perfect one out there – I say perfect – Ancelotti is still out there,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football Podcast. ‘I know he is coach of Brazil… he is the perfect one for Manchester United where you think he will make players feel a million dollars.

Paul Scholes (right) previously described Ancelotti as the ‘perfect’ option, despite his former team-mate Michael Carrick (left) being in interim charge

Ancelotti is currently the manager of Brazil and expected to lead the side at the World Cup

‘And he has the experience of winning stuff. But the question is, is he too old now? That’s the only thing. Is there anyone else of that ilk, with more experience? They need presence as a leader.’

Carrick has previous experience as a head coach, leading Championship side Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025 before stepping into his role at Old Trafford.

But Scholes, who played alongside Carrick 160 times for both United and England, doubts his former team-mate’s experience in terms of winning trophies for the club – while he also appeared to take a jibe at him after the Newcastle loss.

‘The question is, has Michael got the experience?’ Scholes continued. ‘I know it’s a big question, I know he has managed in the Championship, but this is different.

‘Can we see Michael winning the Premier League? I don’t know yet, and I think the biggest thing is, what type of manager will they look for? A tactician or a man manager who looks after people?

‘Ole Gunnar (Solskjaer) was that. But all the people who are man managers, they always have a brilliant coach next to them, which Michael has got (Steve Holland).

‘The club have to decide, do they want a master tactician, which has failed… Ole Gunnar had the man management skills, but did he have the experience to go on and win a trophy? The same questions will be asked of Michael.’ 

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