Man Utd have appointed Michael Carrick as the club’s permanent head coach after he steered them back into the Champions League.
Michael Carrick has been appointed permanent head coach at Manchester United
Manchester United have appointed Michael Carrick as the next permanent head coach at Old Trafford after he signed a two-year contract.
Negotiations with Carrick have been wrapped up after United’s football leadership group recommended that he should be given the job on a permanent basis.
The 44-year-old was appointed in mid-January after Ruben Amorim had been sacked and Darren Fletcher had been handed the job for two games. Carrick was initially given a contract until the end of the season.
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But he has delivered 11 wins and three draws from 16 Premier League games in charge, steering United back into the Champions League, and the win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday confirmed they would finish in third place in the Premier League.
Those achievements made Carrick the outstanding candidate for the job and chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox signalled earlier this week they felt he was the right man for the job.
“From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United,” said Carrick. “Carrying the responsibility of leading our special football club fills me with immense pride.
“Throughout the past five months, this group of players have shown they can reach the standards of resilience, togetherness and determination that we demand here.
“Now it’s time to move forward together again, with ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Manchester United and our incredible supporters deserve to be challenging for the biggest honours again.”
Carrick’s backroom staff will also stay in place, with assistant head coach Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion all set to sign two-year deals.
Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, said: “Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team. In the time he has been doing the role, we have seen positive results on the pitch, but more than that, an approach which aligns with the club’s values, traditions and history.
“Michael’s achievements in leading the club back to the Champions League should not be understated. He has forged a strong bond with the players and can be proud of the winning culture at Carrington and in the dressing room, which we are continuing to build.”
United insisted, after Carrick’s temporary appointment in January, that they would conduct a thorough process to appoint a permanent head coach and showed early interest in elite-level bosses Thomas Tuchel and Luis Enrique, only for both to rule themselves out.
As Carrick’s stock grew, the momentum for him to get the job seemed unstoppable and with United securing a return to the Champions League he will now get the chance to lead the club back into Europe.
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