Manchester United has reached an agreement in principle to appoint former captain Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season.
The move comes after a week of intense negotiations following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim on January 5. Carrick, who was pictured arriving at the Carrington training ground on Tuesday morning, is expected to be officially unveiled later today.
In a significant coup for the club, Carrick will be joined by Steve Holland as his assistant head coach. Holland, 55, is widely regarded as one of England’s premier tactical minds, having served as Gareth Southgate’s right-hand man during the Three Lions’ most successful era in decades.
The new-look backroom staff also includes:
Jonathan Woodgate: The former Real Madrid and England defender who worked under Carrick at Middlesbrough.
Jonny Evans: The veteran United defender will take on a player-coach role.
Travis Binnion: Promoted from his role as U21 lead coach to the first-team setup.
Notably, Darren Fletcher, who oversaw the last two matches as caretaker, has opted to return to his role as Under-18s manager rather than join the new first-team coaching staff.
Carrick beat out fellow club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for the position. The United hierarchy was reportedly impressed by Carrick’s “hands-on” vision and tactical plans to stabilize a season that has seen United slump to 7th place in the Premier League.
With United already eliminated from the FA Cup and without European football this season, Carrick’s sole objective is clear: secure a return to the Champions League by finishing in the top four.
Back to the Future
This marks Carrick’s second stint as United’s interim boss. He famously went unbeaten in a three-game spell following Solskjaer’s departure in 2021, securing wins against Villarreal and Arsenal.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to bring the spirit of Manchester United back into the club,” said Wayne Rooney on the BBC. “Michael is a very clever person, and he’ll command respect from the dressing room.”
Carrick is slated to conduct his first training session on Wednesday morning as the squad returns from a two-day break.
