BREAKING Man Utd identify Michael Carrick as interim boss after snubbing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

On Jan 13, 2026

Manchester United have unveiled Michael Carrick as their interim manager until the end of the season.

The Red Devils have been on the search for a new manager after sacking Ruben Amorim – following his explosive comments in his Leeds United post-match press conference. Carrick, 44, had been the frontrunner for the role alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with both managers having previous experience at Old Trafford.

On Tuesday, the club appointed him as interim head coach until the end of the season. Man United wrote on X: “Michael Carrick is back. Our former captain is our Head Coach for the remainder of 2025/26.”

(L-R) Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's English first-team coach Michael Carrick and Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer look on during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on October 30, 2021. - Manchester United won the game 3-0. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) — Michael Carrick is the new Man Utd interim boss
(Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Former England star Carrick made 464 appearances for United, after Sir Alex Ferguson signed him for £18m in 2006. He would go on to lift five Premier League titles, the Champions League, Club World Cup, Europa League, FA Cup and three League Cups at Old Trafford.

Carrick hung up his boots in 2018 – but remained at Old Trafford as a coach. He was handed a position in Jose Mourninho’s coaching staff. And after the sacking of the Portuguese icon, Carrick was briefly caretaker manager until Solskjaer was given the role. He would work under the Norwegian and again be named as caretaker manager when Solskjaer was sacked in 2021.

However, Carrick would leave the club and go on to manage Middlesbrough from October 2022 to June 2025. He saved the Championship side from relegation in his first season, winning 16 of his first 23 games, taking them to fourth and the play-off semi-finals. But he was sacked following a 10th-placed finish in the 2024-25 campaign.

Manchester United's Norwegian manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (R) talks with Manchester United's English first-team coach Michael Carrick during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Sheffield United at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on June 24, 2020. (Photo by Martin Rickett / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by MARTIN RICKETT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) — Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been the frontrunners
(Image: MARTIN RICKETT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Carrick will now take over from Darren Fletcher, who was in the dugout for their Premier League clash with Burnley and FA Cup loss to Brighton.

According to The Athletic that the decision was made by the club’s leadership team, including chief executive Omar Berada and director of football Jason Wilcox, following a breakdown in relations behind the scenes.

Tensions were ramped up after the draw at Elland Road when Amorim launched a bizarre rant saying he considered himself the “manager” of United rather than the “head coach.”

He fumed: “I just want to say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not the head coach. That’s going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on. That’s the deal, that’s my job.

Ruben Amorim was sacked earlier this month

“I know my name is not (Thomas) Tuchel, is not (Antonio) Conte and is not (Jose) Mourinho. But I am the manager of Manchester United and it is going to be like this for 18 months, or (until) when the board decides to change.”

He added: “It’s going to be like this until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy comes to replace me.

“If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the critics of everything, we need to change the club. I just want to say that. I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach.

“And every department, the scouting department, the sporting director, needs to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we will watch.”

United paid €11million (£9.25m) to hire Amorim from Sporting, where he won the Primeira Liga title in 2021 and again in 2024 while also winning the Taca da Liga twice, to replace Erik ten Hag.

However, United went on suffer their worst-ever Premier League season last year. Amorim has also faced criticism over his perceived tactical inflexibility, staying true to his 3-4-3 set-up.

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