Michael Carrick on the Verge of Returning to Manchester United as Interim Head Coach

Ongoing Negotiations

Michael Carrick is nearing an agreement to step back into Manchester United as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Discussions have advanced, indicating that the former United and England midfielder, now 44, is likely to lead the team during Saturday’s derby against Manchester City (12:30 GMT).

United officials aim to finalize this appointment before the players resume training on Wednesday.

Previous Tenure

Carrick had a brief tenure as United’s caretaker manager following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit in 2021, where he achieved two victories and a draw in three matches before departing with Ralf Rangnick’s hiring as interim manager.

Carrick is recognized for having solid support from both the current squad and the Ineos leadership overseeing football operations at Old Trafford.

Following a Saturday meeting, Solskjaer expressed interest in returning to the club.

On January 5, United dismissed Ruben Amorim as manager after 14 months in the position.

Interim Leadership

Darren Fletcher, a former midfielder for both United and Scotland, was initially assigned to oversee first-team responsibilities after Amorim’s exit. However, United faced an FA Cup third-round elimination against Brighton on Sunday, which is likely to be Fletcher’s final game in charge, having earlier managed a draw against struggling Burnley in the Premier League.

Carrick’s Player Background

Carrick, who hails from Wallsend, made 464 appearances for Manchester United across all competitions between 2006 and 2018 after being signed by Sir Alex Ferguson from Tottenham Hotspur. Since his dismissal from his managerial role at Middlesbrough in June, he has been without a position. At Boro, he had led the team to the Championship playoffs in the 2022-23 season but saw them eliminated by Coventry. The team narrowly missed out on playoff spots over consecutive seasons, culminating in his departure.

While Carrick lacks the extensive managerial history of Solskjaer, having only managed Middlesbrough, he began his coaching career immediately after retiring from playing at United in 2018, joining Jose Mourinho’s staff and remaining through Solskjaer’s management.