Michael Carrick has been appointed as the Manchester United manager on a permanent basis after impressing in his initial interim role.
A former player of the club, Carrick was appointed the interim manager in January following their decision to part ways with Ruben Amorim, and quickly led them up the Premier League table.
He enjoyed a dream first match, a 2-0 win over rivals Manchester City, and that was followed by a 3-2 victory away to Arsenal. After that, he also presided over wins against Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
While results against lower-profile clubs haven’t been as impressive, he’s nonetheless taken United from seventh to third and has secured Champions League qualification.
This will be the second permanent role of his managerial career, with him previously spending three years at the helm of Championship club Middlesbrough.
In their club statement announcing Carrick’s appointment on a two-year contract, Man United said: “Manchester United is delighted to announce that Michael Carrick will continue as head coach of the men’s first team, having signed a new contract which will run to 2028.”
The permanent Manchester United manager, Michael Carrick, said, “From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United.
“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.”
Manchester United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, provided his reasoning for Carrick staying on: “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.”
