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Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have emerged as the frontrunners to become Manchester United’s caretaker manager until the end of the season, with both former players set for face-to-face talks with the club’s leadership following Amorim’s dismissal on Monday after 14 turbulent months in charge.
Carrick and Solskjaer Lead Race for Manchester United Caretaker Position
The former United players, who have both previously managed the club, are being considered for the temporary role with the possibility they could work together given Carrick’s previous role as a significant part of Solskjaer’s coaching team when the Norwegian replaced Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in 2018. United plan on naming a permanent successor for Amorim in the summer, with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi understood to be early contenders for the full-time position.
Darren Fletcher, United’s current Under-18s coach who has also been spoken to about the job, will continue as interim manager until a caretaker is appointed. The former midfielder takes charge of his first match on Wednesday when United visit Burnley in the Premier League, with Ruud van Nistelrooy also believed to be a contender for the temporary role.
One player has told BBC Sport they felt it was possible the role could be shared by more than one of the contenders, or that Fletcher could even stay in the job until the end of the season if the next two matches produce positive results. Solskjaer initially took charge in similar fashion when United sacked Mourinho in 2018, subsequently becoming full-time manager for three years before his dismissal in November 2021.
Carrick then had a three-game stint as temporary boss after Solskjaer’s departure, winning two and drawing one match before leaving the club in December 2021 following Ralf Rangnick’s appointment. The former England midfielder has been out of work since he was sacked by Championship club Middlesbrough last June after two-and-a-half years in charge, while Solskjaer was dismissed by Turkish club Besiktas in August after just 29 games following losses in Europa and Conference League play-offs.
Glasner, who won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace last season, was asked about the United link during his news conference on Tuesday but dismissed questions, stating he is Crystal Palace manager and it makes no sense to ask him about other positions. Solskjaer boasts a career win ratio of 53.1% as a manager despite not winning a trophy since leaving Molde, while Carrick’s managerial win rate stands at 46.8% following his tenure at Middlesbrough where he guided them to play-off semi-finals in 2022-23.
