Michael Carrick has emerged as the leading candidate to be appointed Manchester United caretaker head coach following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, according to sources close to the process.
United’s hierarchy is understood to be keen to have a caretaker in place before players return to training on Wednesday, with discussions having progressed with the 44-year-old former midfielder, although a final decision has yet to be made.
Carrick previously served as United’s temporary manager in 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked, overseeing three matches in charge. During that spell, he won two games and drew one before stepping aside following the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim manager.
Solskjaer, meanwhile, has reportedly held face to face discussions with the club on Saturday regarding a possible return, despite Carrick now being viewed as the frontrunner for the caretaker role.
United parted ways with Amorim on 5 January after 14 months in charge. Following his departure, former United and Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher was placed in temporary charge of first team affairs.
Fletcher led United to a Premier League draw against Burnley last Wednesday but saw his side eliminated from the FA Cup third round by Brighton on Sunday, a match expected to be his final game at the helm.
Carrick enjoyed a highly decorated playing career at Old Trafford, making 464 appearances for the club between 2006 and 2018 after joining from Tottenham under Sir Alex Ferguson. Following his retirement, he moved straight into coaching, joining Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff at the end of the 2017-18 season and later remaining as a first-team coach throughout Solskjaer’s 168 match tenure.
The former England international has been out of work since being sacked by Championship side Middlesbrough last June, having spent two and a half years in charge. During his time at the Riverside, Carrick guided Boro to the Championship play-offs in the 2022-23 season, where they lost to Coventry City in the semi-finals.
Middlesbrough narrowly missed out on a top six finish in successive campaigns, results which ultimately led to Carrick losing his job. Despite having less managerial experience than Solskjaer, Carrick’s deep familiarity with the club and previous caretaker spell have placed him firmly in contention as United seek short term stability.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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