Manchester United has identified Michael Carrick as the top choice for the head coach position.
This decision comes as club officials aim to finalize an appointment before players return to training on Wednesday.
Although a final decision has not yet been made, discussions with the 44-year-old are reportedly advancing.
Carrick previously served as United’s interim manager for three games following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure in 2021, achieving two wins and one draw before stepping down after Ralf Rangnick took over as interim manager.
Solskjaer met with the club on Saturday to discuss a potential return.
United dismissed Ruben Amorim from his managerial position on January 5, after 14 months.
Darren Fletcher, a former midfielder for both United and Scotland, was initially given temporary responsibility for the first team after Amorim’s exit.
United faced a defeat in the FA Cup third round against Brighton on Sunday, which is likely to mark Fletcher’s second and final match in charge.
He previously led the team to a draw against struggling Burnley in the Premier League last Wednesday.
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Carrick, who played 464 matches for United between 2006 and 2018 after being signed from Tottenham by Sir Alex Ferguson, has been without a job since being let go by Championship club Middlesbrough last June after two and a half years in charge.
During his time at Middlesbrough, he led the team to the Championship play-offs in the 2022-23 season, but they lost to Coventry in the semi-finals.
His team narrowly missed the top six in consecutive seasons, leading to his dismissal.
Born in Wallsend, Carrick does not have the same level of managerial experience as Solskjaer, having only held one permanent position at Middlesbrough.
After retiring from his illustrious playing career at Old Trafford, Carrick joined Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff at United at the end of the 2017-18 season.
He remained as a first-team coach throughout Solskjaer’s tenure, which spanned 168 games, following Mourinho’s departure.
