Michael Carrick has reached a verbal agreement with Man Utd to become interim head coach until the end of the season.
Negotiations went on late on Monday night, Sky Sports News has been told, when all of the outstanding issues were ironed out.
Gareth Southgate’s former England assistant coach Steve Holland will be Carrick’s No 2, while ex-Boro assistant and Leeds player Jonathan Woodgate, current U21s coach Travis Binnion and Jonny Evans, who rejoined the club during Darren Fletcher’s interim period, will also all form part of the backroom team.
Fletcher, meanwhile, is expected to return to coaching United’s U18s.
The contractual details are now being finalised by lawyers on both sides and Carrick could sign the paperwork later on Tuesday afternoon.
The former United midfielder arrived at Carrington training ground on Tuesday morning to meet with director of football Jason Wilcox.
Both sides are keen for the deal to be completed as soon as possible so that Carrick can begin preparing to take training on Wednesday, when the players are due back in for the run up to Saturday’s lunchtime Manchester derby, live on Sky Sports.
How Carrick emerged as frontrunner for the role
Carrick had emerged as the frontrunner for the interim role after the club held discussions with both the former Middlesborough manager and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following the departure of Ruben Amorim on January 5.
Sky Sports News understands the hierarchy at the club were impressed by Carrick’s plans for the remainder of the season.
United only have the Premier League to focus on following their 2-1 defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup on Sunday, which was overseen by caretaker boss Fletcher. Plans to appoint an interim head coach were accelerated following that defeat.
Carrick made 464 appearances for the club across his 12 years at Old Trafford, but remained there as part of Jose Mourinho’s coaching staff when he retired in 2018.
After Mourinho was sacked in December of that year, Carrick was briefly named interim manager, before joining Solskjaer’s backroom staff upon his arrival on an interim basis.
The duo, who were both in the running to temporarily succeed Ruben Amorim, then remained at the club permanently when Solskjaer was handed the role in March 2019.
The Norwegian coach was sacked in November 2021 and Carrick resumed the position of caretaker boss, going unbeaten in his three games at the helm with wins against Villarreal and Arsenal, as well as a point at Chelsea.
Carrick stepped down from his role and left the club when Ralf Rangnick arrived before then taking charge at Middlesbrough in October 2022.
Boro were 21st and one point above the relegation zone at the time of his appointment, but narrowly missed out on promotion after losing to Coventry City in the playoff semi-finals that year, after rising to a fourth-place finish.
Carrick then guided the team to eighth and 10th-place finishes in the following two seasons, leading to his departure in June 2025.
‘Carrick could sign contract this afternoon’
Sky Sports News’ Dan Khan at Old Trafford:
“Carrick could sign his contract as early as this afternoon. This is significant because Manchester United have 17 games left this season to fight for a Champions League place.
“United also met Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Saturday face-to-face. Ruud van Nistelrooy was another option. United were very impressed by Carrick in the process and decided to have further talks with him.
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