Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick has been confirmed as the club's new interim head coach, tasked with stabilizing the team and achieving some measure of success until the end of the season. This decision came two days after the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, whose 14-month reign ended with a 38.1% win rate, the worst for any United manager in the Premier League era. The search for Amorim's replacement involved key figures like United director of football Jason Wilcox, CEO Omar Berrada, and notably, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Wilcox and Berrada, having installed under-18 coach Darren Fletcher as a temporary interim, sought a more experienced candidate. They shortlisted Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Ruud van Nistelrooy – all former United players who had previously held interim coaching roles. Despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe's earlier decision to end Ferguson's ambassadorial role, the club's most successful manager was invited to provide his insights into the candidates. Sources indicated that Ferguson was consulted over breakfast, offering his unique perspective on the three former players he had managed. While club sources declined to confirm if Ferguson directly endorsed Carrick, an external source affirmed his strong support for his former midfielder's appointment.

The club's hierarchy, including Wilcox and Berrada, initiated contact with Carrick, Solskjaer, and Van Nistelrooy, holding in-depth discussions about their plans to revive the team's fortunes. Carrick and Solskjaer met in person, while Van Nistelrooy, who had a prior relationship with Wilcox and Berrada from his time as a coach under Erik ten Hag, held discussions via video. Ultimately, Carrick emerged as the unanimous choice, driven by the club's desire to