Michael Carrick has reportedly been tempted by a return to his former side amid uncertainty regarding the future of Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United have endured a difficult start to their 2025/26 campaign, despite a summer of significant expenditure, which has left them 14th in the Premier League after six games.
Ruben Amorim’s side looked to build momentum off the back of a 2-1 victory at home to Chelsea, but unfortunately, they fell at the hands of Bryan Mbeumo’s former side, Brentford.
The defeat to Brentford saw Benjamin Šeško get off the mark for the club, although a second-half penalty miss by Bruno Fernandes was capitalised on as the Bees secured a 3-1 victory late on.
This defeat has left many pundits thinking that Amorim is on borrowed time at the club, and are even wondering who may be in line to take over from the Portuguese boss.
Carrick open to return
According to a report from TalkSPORT, Michael Carrick would be open to a return to his former side, who he managed on an interim basis back in 2021 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.
During his brief tenure as the United manager, Carrick went unbeaten across three matches, where he beat Villarreal in the Champions League and Arsenal in the Premier League.
The former Middlesborough manager was part of the conversation after Erik Ten Hag was sacked, although the Reds opted with Amorim instead.
If not Carrick, who?
Although many fans and pundits are eager for the departure of Amorim, due to his stubborn system not allowing United’s stars to flourish, an easy solution may not be the best solution.
Carrick would be an obvious candidate for an appointment, due to his history with the club as well as his current availability, although his lack of top-level experience may rightfully be questioned.
United are at a point where they need immediate change to escape their current free-fall, which would likely come from the appointment of an experienced manager who understands the culture of the club.
Xavi is another name being linked with the role of United boss, which would probably be a smarter, safer appointment, although only time will tell as to whether a new manager is necessary.
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