Michael Carrick could yet be the favourite to land the Manchester United job, as the club have not opened talks with other candidates.
According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have not opened talks with their desired candidates over taking over the managerial position. The club are seemingly waiting on the season to unfold before deciding on the position, with this news likely to boost Michael Carrick’s chances.
Manchester United utterly suffered under Rubén Amorim, failing to adapt to his methods while the style proved counter-productive for long periods. The lack of results and the danger of missing out on a Champions League spot led to the Portuguese manager’s sacking, with Michael Carrick replacing him on an interim basis.
Carrick’s appointment has led to an impressive turnaround in fortunes, with Manchester United sitting third, a point above fourth-placed Aston Villa and six points ahead of Liverpool in fifth. The club are the most in-form side in the division, with Carrick’s record of 23 points from a possible 30, and only a single defeat in 10 games, the big reason for their rise.
Manchester United did not consider Carrick as the favourite for the permanent role, as the club were clear on their interim offering. However, the performances and the possibility of Champions League football make it difficult to look away from Carrick when deciding on the next permanent boss.
Manchester United have not opened talks with other candidates primed for the job, with the report naming the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti, who remain committed to their respective national team roles. There are challenges in appointing Julian Nagelsmann, while there are other names like Niko Kovac among those linked with the role.
Will Manchester United appoint Carrick?
Whether they will appoint Carrick is the burning question, and given their lack of talks with other candidates, the current manager will be boosted by the news. The club are seemingly leaning towards recognising the team’s performances under the former midfielder and are not considering the idea of making a rushed decision to appoint a new manager.
Given that they are not committing to the prospect of handing Carrick a new deal just yet, it shows they will look at names that carry a high reputation in the market, such as some of the aforementioned names. However, a decision on the position is expected to be made only once the season ends, as Carrick is certainly still in the running — and now, he might be slightly ahead in the pecking order.
