Michael Carrick has been appointed as interim manager at Manchester United until the end of the 2025/26 season, but there were reports Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was a serious contender before a late change of mind.
Darren Fletcher stepped in to lead the team after Ruben Amorim’s exit, but he was never viewed as a long-term solution.
United decided to go with an interim appointment until the end of the season, and early indications suggested Solskjaer had held positive talks about returning to Old Trafford.
Although the Norwegian manager was reportedly open to coming back, United confirmed on Tuesday evening that Carrick would take charge for the rest of the 2025/26 campaign.
Despite fan support for Solskjaer’s return, Ineos ultimately favoured Carrick, largely due to a single critical demand the former striker made during their talks.
What Ole Gunnar Solskjaer asked for in his contract with Ineos
Solskjaer’s return to United looked all but certain, just over four years after his exit as manager. However, the club decided to go in a different direction.
Rob Dorsett explained that Ineos wanted someone who was already familiar with the club and could step in quickly without being overwhelmed by the scale of the role.
“It’s been made clear to me that United wanted to appoint someone who knows the club very well, someone who could hit the ground running and not be overawed by the size of the job,” the Sky Sports journalist said.
“Some of the United bosses felt Ruben Amorim, despite his 14-month tenure at Old Trafford, was still surprised by how huge the club was.
“It’s also key that Carrick is prepared to work within the structure with director of football Jason Wilcox, who has a big influence here.
“It’s also clear that Carrick wasn’t pushing for a deal beyond the end of this season, something Solskjaer is thought to have sought.”
Solskjaer’s ambitions to revisit his Man United days
Solskjaer’s first spell in charge of United also started on a temporary basis, and he managed to turn that into a permanent role after impressing early on.
During his time as interim boss, he posted a 74% win rate and quickly earned the trust of both fans and players, which played a big part in his eventual appointment.
This time around, Solskjaer was reportedly interested in extending his stay beyond just an interim role, hoping to build something again at Old Trafford.
Ineos’ decision to move away from that plan indicates they are set on bringing in their own long-term manager once the season wraps up.
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