Manchester United reach agreement in principle to appoint Michael Carrick as interim head coach

Manchester United have reached agreement in principle to appoint Michael Carrick as interim head coach until the end of the season.

The deal, which includes the former midfielder’s proposed staff, is subject to finalising contract details with an announcement expected soon.

Should everything progress as planned Carrick’s first game in charge would be against rivals Manchester City on Saturday at Old Trafford.

Former England assistant Steve Holland, former players Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans and Under-21s coach Travis Binnion are in the frame to be make up Carrick’s backroom team.

Darren Fletcher, who led the team for two games following Ruben Amorim’s sacking on January 5, was offered the opportunity to stay on alongside Carrick but is instead expected to return to his role with the Under-18s.

The Athletic reported on Monday that Carrick had moved into pole position for the role after he and former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had held face-to-face talks with club executives.

The process of appointing an interim coach has been led by director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada.

Sign-off was required by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, and attentions will now turn to identifying a permanent successor to Amorim.

Carrick previously took charge of United as caretaker manager for three matches following Solskjaer’s sacking in the autumn of 2021, winning twice and drawing once. He left the club after Ralf Rangnick was appointed as interim boss until the end of the 2021-22 season, having previously been part of the coaching staff under Jose Mourinho and Solskjaer immediately following his retirement in 2018.

Carrick was appointed at Championship side Middlesbrough in October 2022, guiding them from 21st when he took over to fourth by the end of the season. They lost to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals. Middlesbrough finished eighth in 2023-24, with Carrick awarded a three-year contract at the end of the season, before coming 10th in 2024-25, with the Englishman sacked at the end of the campaign.

As a player, Carrick made 464 appearances for United in a 12-year period, winning five Premier League titles and one Champions League. He previously played for West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Amorim was sacked by United after 14 months in the role, with Fletcher installed to take charge of the team on an interim basis.

United drew 2-2 against Burnley on Wednesday and were eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round by Brighton & Hove Albion following a 2-1 loss on Sunday.

United head into Saturday’s derby seventh in the Premier League, 11 points and five places behind City.

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