By Rosemary Ugiomoh
Manchester United has9 made it official , Michael Carrick is now their permanent head coach, signing a two-year deal.
The 44-year-old stepped in as interim boss back in January after Ruben Amorim was let go, and he’s turned things around fast. Under Carrick, United secured a top-three Premier League finish and a Champions League spot, capped off by a dramatic win against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
His record speaks for itself: 11 wins in 16 games, the most points of any Premier League side since he took over on Jan 13, and a spot on the six-man shortlist for Manager of the Season. The appointment got the nod from ownership after being pushed by director of football Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada.
“This club has been part of me for 20 years, so leading it now means everything,” Carrick said. He praised the squad for showing the resilience and togetherness United demand, especially after the mess left behind when Amorim departed. That 14-month spell ended with poor results and growing tension over tactics.
Carrick isn’t new to filling in, he also had a three-game stint as caretaker after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left in 2021. What stood out this time is his work both on the pitch and behind the scenes. The club hasn’t confirmed his backroom staff yet, but deals are said to be close, with Steve Holland’s experience a key piece.
United insisted they ran a thorough search. A few names like Thomas Tuchel dropped out after signing extensions elsewhere, but internally the club says Carrick came out on top after a quiet, detailed process.
One big difference from Amorim-Carrick has been heavily involved with the academy, while Amorim only watched one youth game in person during his entire tenure.
When Wilcox told the players after Amorim’s exit that Champions League qualification was the goal, it sounded ambitious. Carrick delivered it with three games to spare, and wins over Man City, Arsenal, Villa, Chelsea, and Liverpool didn’t hurt his case either.
