Michael Carrick is expected to be formally appointed Manchester United's permanent head coach imminently following a successful interim spell that began in January 2026 [1, 2, 3]. He took over as caretaker head coach on January 13, 2026, after Ruben Amorim was dismissed on January 5 [1, 4, 5]. Since then, he has won 10 of 15 Premier League matches, guiding United from seventh to third in the table and securing Champions League qualification for the 2026-27 season [1, 4, 6].
Carrick's team accrued 33 points under his management, achieving a 66.7% win rate [1, 4]. The club’s strong finish included a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on May 17, 2026, which confirmed their third-place league finish [6, 7, 8]. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes matched the Premier League record with 20 assists this season in the same match [6, 7].
Senior club executives including CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox have recommended Carrick for the permanent post to minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe [1, 3, 5]. Carrick is in advanced contract talks expected to conclude with a two-year deal plus an option for a further year [2, 3]. An official announcement could come before or shortly after the home game against Nottingham Forest on May 17, 2026 [2, 3].
Carrick himself acknowledged, "The future for me is going to be decided pretty soon. We knew that," and added, "Over the coming days, there'll be clarity in the situation [2, 7]." He credited the supporters after the victory, saying, "The supporters are a massive part of this club. We thank them for the season; the last four months for me personally," and stressed the aim to "end on a high" [2, 9]. He described Manchester United as "a unique football club, a special club," expressing pride in returning as coach and former player [10].
Brazilian midfielder Casemiro played his final home game for United on May 17, having been fit to feature before his anticipated departure in the close season. Carrick said, "Casemiro is available... he gave absolutely everything in every aspect, knowing that it was going to come to an end at the end of the season" [2].
Internally, Carrick has received praise for both his on-pitch results and his commitment to youth development and long-term club planning [1, 5, 11]. There is broad agreement among sources that Carrick will be confirmed as the permanent head coach shortly after the season ends [1, 4, 2, 3, 10].
Formal talks for his permanent role began on May 13, 2026, and Carrick publicly indicated the decision would be made soon ahead of the final matches of the season [2, 12, 5, 10]. The final home league match on May 17 marked a key milestone before Carrick's expected official appointment.
