Manchester United are close to appointing Michael Carrick as their head coach on a permanent basis, with the club offering him a two-year contract that includes an option for a further 12 months. The deal could be concluded before United face Nottingham Forest on Sunday lunchtime, and Carrick is still expected to address supporters after the match even if nothing has been signed by then.
The timing matters because United have moved from sixth when Ruben Amorim was sacked to third with two games remaining, and they are six points above Liverpool after a run that has brought 10 wins in 15 Premier League matches under Carrick’s interim charge. That run also secured a return to the Champions League, turning a short-term stopgap into a serious case for permanence.
Carrick tried to keep the focus on the pitch on Friday, saying his future would become clear pretty soon and that there was little else to add with two games left. He has overseen a sharp recovery in form, but the numbers only tell part of it. Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox both want him to stay on, and the club now wants clarity heading into a busy summer.
There is also a simple reason United are moving now: Carrick has already shown he can steady the team while the stakes rise. He has described the club as “unique” and “special,” and said he was “immensely proud” to have come back and helped as a supporter and former player. He has also spoken about the importance of the supporters, thanking them for the season and for the last four months personally, while noting that the connection has been felt by the players.
The squad issues around him are easing as well. Casemiro has recovered from the injury that kept him out at Sunderland, giving him a chance to make an Old Trafford farewell against the London side. Matthijs de Ligt has had back surgery after a problem that has ruled him out since November, and he is due back early next season.
For United, this has become more than a question of who takes charge next. Carrick has already delivered the one thing the club needed most: results that changed the mood, restored Champions League football and gave Berrada and Wilcox a case to lock in the man who got them there.
For more on United’s matchday picture, see Man United Vs Nottm Forest: United name Mbeumo, Dalot returns for Old Trafford clash.
