Michael Carrick will imminently become Manchester United’s new interim manager, and has reportedly overlooked Wayne Rooney in favour of his long-time collaborator.
After sacking Ruben Amorim last week, INEOS have decided to delay the appointment of a permanent head coach until the summer.
But with the team still in the midst of a razor-tight battle for a Champions League spot, picking a caretaker has been an equally delicate matter, as the decision will have major ramifications for the club from a sporting and financial perspective.
After several days of deliberation, the club directors have finally rendered their decision, giving the nod to Carrick.
Wayne Rooney interested in joining Michael Carrick’s Man Utd staff
The 44-year-old reportedly made a positive impact during his interview, proving to be a more suitable option than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
While Carrick is expected to be officially appointed on Tuesday, Ben Jacobs also revealed that Darren Fletcher, who has been in charge in the last seven days, could remain as part of the technical staff.
However, the Scotsman is unlikely to be the assistant manager, nor will Wayne Rooney.
United’s all-time top scorer has publicly offered his services to his old employers, expressing his desire to work alongside Carrick.
“Of course, it’s a no-brainer,” said the retired striker when asked whether he’d be interested in collaborating with his old teammate.
“I’m not begging for a job here. Just so everyone knows, if I was asked to go in of course I would.”
Carrick aiming to bring Jonathan Woodgate on board
While a large section of the fanbase would be thrilled to see Rooney joining the technical staff, several sources, including The Sun journalist Samuel Luckhurst, believe that Carrick is more interested in a reunion with Jonathan Woodgate, who acted as his second in command during his managerial stint at Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025.
| Managerial Record | Clubs | Matches in Charge | Win Percentage |
| Michael Carrick | Man Utd (caretaker), Middlesbrough | 139 | 47% |
| Wayne Rooney | Derby, DC United, Birmingham, Plymouth | 178 | 25% |
The 45-year-old had stints at Real Madrid and Tottenham, but he is considered a Leeds United legend, so his arrival at Carrington might irritate a section of the MUFC fanbase. But at this stage, it remains to be seen whether the management will satisfy the new head coach’s request.
In any case, Carrick had reportedly made it clear that he’s willing to work with what he’ll be given, so Woodgate’s fate wouldn’t be a deal-breaker in any case.
Would have liked see Rooney in the setup. The bigger problem, however, is that Carrick love to play out from the back. Playing out from the back is at present the most outstanding weakness of United. It is something every EPL team looks to exploit when playing against United. It had been the biggest contributor of shots at United’s goal. Hope Carrick recognises that.
Sorry but Rooney hasn’t had a good run as a manager in England and he’d want to have too much say rather than work with Carrick so I’d steer clear
Well… If the presence & guidance of Michael Carrick lifts the spirits of the team, to the standard shown in yesterday’s fantastic win over City… he HAS TO be given a chance to coach Man Utd back toward the ‘Golden Days’ !! It will take time, of course, but remember… It took Sir Alex a while to lift the struggling team from ‘86… to the treble winning giants of 1998/99. Give the man time 😉