Manchester United are closing in on the appointment of Michael Carrick as their interim manager until the end of the season, sources have told ESPN.
United are hoping to make a formal announcement in the next 48 hours with an expectation that Carrick will be available to take training at Carrington on Wednesday.
The first-team squad had already been given the day off on Tuesday before Sunday’s FA Cup third-round defeat to Brighton.
Carrick held further talks with CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox on Monday after a first face-to-face meeting on Thursday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met Berrada and Wilcox on Saturday, but it appears the Norwegian has lost out to Carrick.
United sources have dismissed suggestions that Solskjaer was ever the clear frontrunner of the job.
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Sources have told ESPN that club bosses favour Carrick because he’s considered to be more of a hands-on coach.
During Solskjaer’s spell in charge between 2018 and 2021, he delegated much of the on-field coaching to Kieran McKenna, now manager at Ipswich Town, and Carrick.
Sources have said that Carrick’s personality and coaching qualities impressed senior players during his time at United and that the former England midfielder is favoured by some senior players at the club.
It’s set to be Carrick’s second spell in charge after a brief stint following Solskjaer’s dismissal in November in 2021.
He led the team for three games before leaving the club following the appointment of Ralf Rangnick as interim boss.
Talks over the make-up of Carrick’s backroom staff are ongoing. Jonathan Woodgate, who assisted Carrick at Middlesbrough, is one of the names in the frame.
Carrick’s brother Graeme, who worked alongside Michael at Middlesbrough and previously worked for the English Football Association, is expected to have a role on the United backroom staff, if negotiations with Carrick reach a successful conclusion.
United’s next game is against Manchester City at Old Trafford on Saturday. It’s followed by a trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Jan. 25
Information from ESPN’s Mark Ogden contributed to this report.
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