Manchester United would pay Newcastle roughly £3m in compensation if they appoint Eddie Howe as their next manager, according to Telegraph journalist James Ducker, as reported by Stretty News. That is half the £6m figure cited in earlier reports and in Tuesday’s Telegraph paper round-up.

The compensation obligation stems from a clause Newcastle inserted when they let Howe leave in July. Newcastle agreed to release him from his contract at his request, but added terms to protect their interests should he take over at another Premier League club. Ducker does not spell out why the figure has now dropped from £6m to £3m.

Carrick position collapsing but not yet vacant

Nothing about the move itself has been confirmed. Michael Carrick is still Manchester United’s head coach as of Tuesday morning and is expected to take the next training session, though his position has become untenable after back-to-back defeats to Como (1-4) and Bournemouth (0-3), leaving the club without a win in their last eight games.

A formal announcement has been held back by disclosure rules tied to Manchester United’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Any change of manager counts as potentially market-moving information and has to be filed in the right order before the club can confirm it publicly.

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Howe or Nagelsmann

Howe has been unattached since he left Newcastle in July after nearly five years in charge. He is the frontrunner to take over at Old Trafford, with Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte also mentioned on the shortlist in reporting by Stretty News.

Neither club has commented on the figures, and the terms of Howe’s exit agreement have not been made public, so the £3m number rests on Ducker’s sourcing alone. The claim was also picked up by Newcastle fan outlet The Mag.

A decision on Carrick is expected in the coming hours, according to Ducker.

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