Sir Jim Ratcliffe offers verdict on Michael Carrick becoming permanent Man Utd head coach

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has claimed that he thinks current Red Devils boss Michael Carrick is doing an “excellent job” while refusing to rule out appointing the coach permanently come the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Since succeeding Ruben Amorim as head coach of Man Utd in January, Carrick has guided the 20-time Premier League champions to six wins from eight games while experiencing just one defeat away at Newcastle United on 4 March.

United currently sit third in the division ahead of Gameweek 30, which would secure them Champions League football should they finish in the same position come the end of the season.

Despite Carrick’s current contract being set to expire following the conclusion of the current campaign, many fans, pundits and ex-players have suggested that the former midfielder should be given the job on a permanent basis.

Ultimately, a final decision on this will be up to United’s footballing department – Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox and Ratcliffe.

And on Saturday (14 March), Ratcliffe was pressed on Carrick’s future by Sky Sports’ Craig Slater at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, to which the United co-owner replied: “He's [Carrick] doing an excellent job. Yeah, absolutely."

However, he refused to reveal whether Carrick would be given the role on a permanent basis, saying: “Not going there.”

The conversation then switched to the prospect of United qualifying for the Champions League.

Ratcliffe explained: "Yes, clearly we're thinking about that. But there's still seven or eight games to go. Still a while yet."

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Carrick’s former teammates Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney discussed the prospect of the former midfielder becoming United boss beyond the current season.

"I think if they get Champions League football, [Carrick] should get the job,” Rooney said on Stick to Football.

"He puts himself right up there if they're looking for new managers - he definitely puts himself in pole position, I think."

Neville then waded in with his thoughts and suggested that United should keep their options open.

"Manchester United have to pursue another manager right now, [based] around the fact [that] you don't know how the results are going to go,” the former right-back said.

"But little things like Thomas Tuchel re-signing with England does start to take away the options for Manchester United and they don't harm Michael's chances of getting the job.

"If he gets United into the Champions League there will be a lot of fever around that he should be appointed.

"I'm not against him being appointed - I love him to bits - but I think Manchester United should go for the best class of manager available.

"They've had young and inexperienced managers in the last two picks. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come in before as an ex-player and that didn't work in the end.

"So I feel removing as much risk as possible is the right option."

United face Champions League-chasing Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday (15 March) before a trip to Bournemouth on 20 March, ahead of the upcoming international break, which leaves the Red Devils without a fixture for 24 days.