Manchester United has officially appointed former player Michael Carrick as head coach until the end of the current season, as confirmed by the club on Tuesday.
Carrick will lead his first training session on Wednesday, just ahead of the highly anticipated Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The 44-year-old emerged as the selected candidate over other contenders like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud van Nistelrooy, and he will be supported by former England assistant coach Steve Holland, alongside Jonathan Woodgate, Travis Binnion, and Jonny Evans.
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Darren Fletcher, who served as caretaker in the last two matches, will return to his role leading the club’s under-18 team.
Carrick’s appointment was officially announced on Tuesday following a meeting with CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox on Thursday, followed by additional discussions on Monday.
He takes over from Ruben Amorim, who was dismissed last week after 14 months at the helm.
It is anticipated that Manchester United will seek to hire a permanent head coach in the summer.
“It is an honor to have the responsibility of leading Manchester United,” Carrick stated in a press release.
“I understand the requirements for success here; my focus is now on guiding the players to meet the high standards we expect at this remarkable club, which I believe this group is capable of achieving.”
Carrick previously held the role temporarily during the 2021-22 season, overseeing three matches where he led the team to victories over Villarreal and Arsenal, along with a draw against Chelsea.
He demonstrated his decisiveness during that stretch by benching Cristiano Ronaldo for the match at Stamford Bridge.
“I have already worked with many of the players and have been closely monitoring the team in recent years; I fully believe in their talent, commitment, and potential for success here,” Carrick added.
“There’s still plenty to strive for this season, and we are prepared to unite and deliver the performances our loyal supporters deserve.”
After Ralf Rangnick took over as interim manager in November 2021, Carrick stepped away from the coaching staff and later took charge at Middlesbrough in October 2022.
Having reached the playoffs in 2023 and the semifinals of the Carabao Cup in 2024, he was dismissed in June 2025 after Middlesbrough finished 10th in the Championship.
Carrick made 464 appearances for United from 2006 to 2018, winning the Champions League in 2008 and five Premier League titles during his time as a player.
He joined Manchester United’s coaching staff immediately after retiring in 2018 and worked under both Jose Mourinho and Solskjaer.
Sources have informed ESPN that Carrick’s hands-on coaching approach helped him secure the role over Solskjaer.
“Michael is an outstanding coach who fully understands what it takes to win at Manchester United,” Wilcox remarked. “He is ready to lead our talented group of players for the rest of the season as we work towards building sustained success for the club.”
Carrick’s debut match in this new role will be against Manchester City at Old Trafford this weekend, followed by a challenging away match against table leaders Arsenal on January 25.
He assumes his duties with United currently sitting seventh in the league, just three points shy of the top four.