Manchester United have settled on two candidates for the permanent manager's job at Old Trafford: Michael Carrick or a unicorn.
OK, not quite an actual unicorn. But, in sports recruitment, that is the label applied to a head coach who ticks every single box. They must have a track record of winning major trophies, be outstanding tactically, adept at managing up (to the board and owners), managing down (players and staff) and be able to handle the media as if they were born to do so.
The term is used to highlight the scarcity of such a candidate. Although not quite as rare (nonexistent) as the mythical creature from which it takes its name, there have perhaps been only three or four coaching unicorns this century.
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There have been, and are, some outstanding coaches, but most of them fall short in at least one of the criteria. José Mourinho has repeatedly clashed with his bosses and players at various clubs, Diego Simeone still hasn't won the UEFA Champions League with Atlético Madrid and the new generation -- including Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola and Mikel Arteta -- fall short in at least one of the categories.
United had a unicorn for nigh on three decades when Sir Alex Ferguson guided the team to incredible sustained success, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. But they have been searching for another one unsuccessfully ever since Ferguson retired in 2013.
Manchester City found theirs in Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp was Liverpool's for nine years and Carlo Ancelotti established himself as Real Madrid's unicorn -- something they have learned even more so since he left the Bernabéu at the end of last season.
But with United still to decide on who will take charge of the team beyond the end of this season when Carrick's six-month contract as coach expires, there is one option that would give United the unicorn they have been desperately looking for: Luis Enrique.
Luis Enrique is one of only two coaches, along with Pep Guardiola, to win the treble at two different clubs. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images The Paris Saint-Germain coach heads into this week's Champions League semifinals as the only one of the remaining quartet of coaches to have won the competition. The 55-year-old's success with PSG last season was his second Champions League triumph, having already guided Barcelona to glory in 2015 as part of a league, cup and European treble.