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Manchester United are giving interim boss Michael Carrick every opportunity to claim the permanent role, with reports this week indicating that no other candidates have been approached yet.
This represents a shift in strategy from the summer of 2024, when club executives actively explored potential successors for Erik ten Hag and made at least informal contact with six candidates—among them Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino. Only after that process did the club decide to retain Ten Hag.
On this occasion, the club's stance appears far more measured. Carrick is free to focus entirely on performances without the concern of being passed over, while still being aware that the club retains the option to look elsewhere should results begin to deteriorate.
Sky Sports reports that United see no urgency in making a long-term call while things are progressing smoothly—Carrick has claimed victory in seven of his 10 matches, suffering just one defeat.
A previous Old Trafford leadership group handed Ole Gunnar Solskjær a three-year deal at a similar point in the 2018–19 season, following an impressive opening three months as caretaker boss.
Although the Norwegian subsequently guided the club through solid campaigns in 2019–20 and 2020–21, form dipped sharply in the weeks immediately following his permanent appointment. United in 2026, however, appear intent on taking more time to arrive at the most well-informed decision possible.
For now, Carrick remains contracted through to the end of the current season.
Carrick Still Favorite for Man Utd Job
When all is considered, Carrick holds the strongest position among any potential candidate simply because he is already in the role and performing it effectively.
United sit atop the Premier League's form table, accumulating 23 points from a possible 30 since the former midfielder's return to Old Trafford, and it would be difficult to justify a change in direction if Champions League qualification is secured, given the depths to which the Red Devils sank last season.
Another factor in Carrick's favour is the absence of any clear or readily available alternatives.
Managers such as Roberto De Zerbi, previously considered for the role, or Cesc Fàbregas carry solid reputations but remain unproven at the level United are targeting. De Zerbi made a strong impression at Brighton & Hove Albion but has since been dismissed by Marseille. Fàbregas experienced elite football as a player and may well develop into a top-level manager, but his coaching career is still in its early stages.
Carrick himself didn't arrive with an extensive managerial CV, though his situation differs somewhat given his 15-year association with United as a player, assistant coach and caretaker manager between 2006 and 2021. Once again, the fact that he is already performing the role competently inherently reduces the element of risk.
The previously mentioned Pochettino could become a more realistic option by July, once his USMNT contract concludes, though not necessarily at Carrick's expense. And while there is no immediate pressure, that window may also prove too late given that preseason preparations will already be underway.