With the way that Brighton and Hove Albion have started this season, the footballing world has taken a keen notice of manager Fabian Hürzeler and the work he's been doing on England's south coast.
The Seagulls went into the international break third in the Premier League table, having won three, drawn one and lost one of their opening five league matches.
Additionally, they've knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup, having beaten Michael Carrick's side 3-2 in the third round at Old Trafford.
By stark contrast, it's been a rather turbulent start for Manchester United, as they've started the season with only one league win, two defeats, and two draws in addition to Brighton knocking them out of the League Cup.
Wins against Ipswich Town and Sabah in the Champions League have been masked by what's collectively been an underwhelming start to the 2026/27 campaign for Carrick and company.
As such, question marks surround Carrick's future at United, as his permanent, two-year deal expires in 2028. The club had shown faith in him after he started to turn performances around last season when he came to stand in after Ruben Amorim's dismissal in January.
Three straight league wins against Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham instilled belief in the former United and England midfielder, but it now feels like the same old United that have perpetually underperformed for most of the post Alex Ferguson era.
How Much Would Manchester United Have to Pay for Fabian Hürzeler?
Hürzeler signed a contract extension with Brighton back in May, keeping him on the south coast through 2029, but that hasn't warded off outside interest in the German.
Both United and Tottenham have emerged as clubs very keen on trying to get Hürzeler despite Brighton's reluctance to want to let him leave as both Carrick and Roberto de Zerbi face concerns with regard to their own futures at their respective clubs.
Nonetheless, despite Brighton not wanting to let their manager go any time soon, they'll know that's not going to stop clubs from coming in for him and knocking on the door, so to speak. As such, for interested clubs, like United, Brighton will make sure that they have to pay up if they want to pry away Hürzeler.
According to Football Insider, if United seriously want to make a move for the German manager, they could face a compensation fee in the range of £10 million to £15 million - a considerable amount of money.
Such a fee would potentially make Hürzeler one of the most expensive managerial appointments in football if a move materialises.
Chelsea paid Porto around £13 million to sign Andre Villas-Boas back in 2011, and Amorim cost United roughly £8.6 million when they brought him in from Sporting CP, suggesting that a substantial managerial compensation fee does not always guarantee a successful appointment.
Can Michael Carrick Turn Manchester United's Season Around?
After the international break, United's first three league matches are against Tottenham, Leeds United and Bournemouth — fixtures that could provide an opportunity to improve their league position.
Of course, there are also Champions League ties against Atletico Madrid and Como in and around those Premier League fixtures, but Carrick will be under pressure to move United out of the bottom half of the league table.
United have recently offered their backing to Carrick despite the lacklustre start to the season, which will hopefully result in points on the pitch and inspired performances.
With a positive run of form and getting the club back on the right track, United could decide not to pursue their interest of Hürzeler any further and eventually look at giving Carrick an extension beyond 2028.
