Michael Carrick was officially confirmed by Manchester United on Tuesday night. – Up until a few days before, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the one who everyone thought was the favorite to take over from Ruben Amorim.
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On Tuesday, it was confirmed that United had appointed Michael Carrick as manager for the remainder of the 25/26 season.
A club statement read: “Manchester United are delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Carrick as head coach of the men’s first team for the remainder of the 2025/26 season. Carrick made 464 appearances for the club, winning five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
“He became part of the first-team coaching staff when he retired in 2018, serving under José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. After Solskjaer’s departure, Carrick led the club with distinction in his role as interim manager. The former England international was head coach of Middlesbrough for two and a half years from October 2022.”
Prior to Carrick’s appointment, it was reported that Solskjaer was also involved in the process, but the club chose the English candidate.
According to The Athletic, Solskjaer was ‘naturally disappointed’ after being told he would not be hired.
However, it is claimed that the Norwegian wanted the job permanently, aiming for a long-term project rather than just the rest of the current season. They also stated that Solskjaer is ‘fully supportive of Carrick’. Something that fits with who we know who Ole Gunnar Solskjær is and what he has said in the past.
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Back in 2023, Solskjaer told The Athletic that ‘Carrick would be the manager of Manchester United if he wanted it’.
Carrick will be joined on the bench by Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion, among others.
In a statement following his appointment, Carrick said: “To be in charge of managing Manchester United is an honour. I know what it takes to succeed here; My focus now is on helping the players reach the standards we expect at this incredible club, something we know this group is more than capable of delivering.
“I have worked with a number of the players already and have obviously continued to follow the team closely in recent years. I have total faith in their talents, dedication and ability to succeed here. There is still a lot to fight for this season. We are ready to bring everyone together and give the fans the achievements their loyal support deserves.”
Carrick’s first game as manager will be the derby clash against Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday.
