Michael Carrick is expected to be recommended to Jim Ratcliffe as the permanent boss of Manchester United by the club’s senior executives.
Former United midfielder Carrick, 44, has been viewed as favourite for the job since securing qualification for next season’s Champions League during a successful period as caretaker head coach.
United intended to delay making a decision on appointing a successor to Ruben Amorim, who was sacked in January, until the end of the season.
However, as first reported by The Athletic, external chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are thought to have concluded Carrick is the right man for the job and will tell Ratcliffe of their choice this week.
United will begin formal talks with Carrick once minority shareholder Ratcliffe gives the green light.
Carrick has won 10 of his 15 matches in charge, losing just twice, to guide United from seventh to third in the Premier League table and secure a return to the Champions League.
No Premier League club has won more points than the 33 Manchester United have collected since Carrick’s appointment on January 13.
Carrick oversaw victories over title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal as he won each of his first four matches in charge in a superb start to his role as caretaker.
A seven-game unbeaten run was eventually ended in March, but subsequent key victories over Champions League rivals Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool helped to ensure a return to Europe’s elite club competition.
United were in disarray when Amorim was dismissed, with poor results and disagreements over the Portuguese’s tactics and formation leading to an increasingly strained relationship with club officials towards the end of his 14-month tenure.
But Carrick, who also had a three-game stint as United’s temporary boss after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021, has steadied the club and impressed with his work on and off the pitch.
Carrick has made a positive impression behind the scenes and been praised internally for his commitment to United’s youth development programme.
Some bookmakers in England have suspended betting on his appointment.
He has repeatedly stressed his belief in taking a long-term view with his decisions — he has been involved in discussions about recruitment — and a succession of United players have called for Carrick to be given the job full-time.
United have been assessing other options, but some, such as England boss Thomas Tuchel, have decided to stay where they are, while Luis Enrique remains committed to PSG. Carrick’s side conclude their 2025-26 campaign with fixtures against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Sunday and a final-day trip to Brighton on May 24.
Carrick is set to face the media on Friday.
United midfielder Casemiro had said Carrick has already shown he has all the qualities to be a great manager at the club and backed calls for the former England international to be given the role on a permanent basis.
“I think he’s a guy who has already demonstrated that he has very good qualities to be a Manchester United coach,” Casemiro told ESPN Brazil.
“Of course, the season is year-round. But since he arrived, he’s been doing an incredible job and I think that with more time, he has everything to be a great manager of Manchester United.”
