Manchester United are edging closer to handing Michael Carrick the reins on an interim basis, with the club reaching an agreement in principle for the former midfielder to take charge until the end of the season.
The proposed deal, which includes Carrick’s backroom staff, is now subject to the finalization of contract details. Once that is completed, an official announcement is expected from the club in the coming days.
If all goes according to plan, Carrick’s return to the Old Trafford dugout will come with little time to settle in. His first match in charge is set to be a high-stakes Manchester derby against City on Saturday, a daunting but familiar stage for a player who spent over a decade at the club.
Reports on January 12, 2026, revealed that Carrick had emerged as the frontrunner for the role following face-to-face discussions with club executives, alongside former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The process of appointing an interim manager has been overseen by Director of Football Jason Wilcox and Chief Executive Omar Berrada, with final approval required from co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.
With the caretaker position now close to being resolved, attention is expected to shift toward identifying a permanent replacement for Ruben Amorim, who was dismissed on January 5 after a difficult 14-month spell in charge.
Carrick is no stranger to the role. He previously stepped in as caretaker manager in late 2021 following Solskjaer’s sacking, overseeing three matches — two wins and a draw — before departing when Ralf Rangnick was appointed interim boss for the remainder of the 2021–22 season.
Before that, Carrick had been part of United’s coaching setup under both Jose Mourinho and Solskjaer after retiring from playing in 2018.
His most recent managerial job came at Middlesbrough, where he was appointed in October 2022. Carrick impressed initially, lifting Boro from 21st to fourth by the end of the season before losing to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.
Middlesbrough finished eighth in the 2023–24 season, earning Carrick a new three-year deal; however, a 10th-place finish in the 2024–25 season ultimately led to his dismissal at the end of the campaign.
As a player, Carrick remains one of United’s most decorated midfielders of the modern era. He made 464 appearances for the club over 12 years, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League, after earlier spells with West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Amorim’s exit initially saw former midfielder Darren Fletcher step up from his role with the Under-18s to take temporary charge of the first team. However, results have done little to ease the pressure. United were held to a 2–2 draw by Burnley on Wednesday before suffering a 2–1 FA Cup third-round defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
The Red Devils now head into Saturday’s derby sitting seventh in the Premier League, 11 points and five places behind Manchester City, with hopes that Carrick’s appointment can steady the ship — at least in the short term — as the club searches for long-term direction.