REAL REASON Ratcliffe is hesitant to make Carrick the next Man Utd manager revealed | OneFootball

Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants other options explored before Manchester United settle on Michael Carrick as their next permanent manager, and a fresh report has offered insight as to why.

Carrick, 44, has worked wonders in his role as interim manager of Man Utd thus far. He’s overseen eight wins, two draws and just two defeats from his 12 matches in charge. During that span, victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea have been secured.

The purple patch has put Man Utd on the cusp of a return to Champions League football. It’s also given Carrick and his chances of landing the job outright a significant boost.

And while Carrick is the clear frontrunner to take the reins and be named the new permanent manager at season’s end, there are doubts, at least as far as Sir Jim Ratcliffe is concerned.

Our insider, Graeme Bailey, recently revealed Ratcliffe has implored his underlings to consider Gareth Southgate when making the final call.

The search for a new boss is being led by Jason Wilcox. Omar Berrada and Christopher Vivell have input, but Wilcox is the one spearheading the search.

Ratcliffe respects Southgate’s body of work from his time as England manager. Sources have explained the INEOS supremo believes Southgate’s profile aligns almost perfectly with what it takes to be a success at Old Trafford.

Why Ratcliffe isn’t fully convinced by Carrick

Now, a fresh update from the Daily Mail’s Chris Wheeler has shed light on why Ratcliffe needs some convincing to sign off on Carrick.

Wheeler – who specialises in covering Man Utd – explained: ‘Ratcliffe is known to favour having a dominant personality in the dugout.

‘Carrick doesn’t necessarily fit that mould, but crucially he has vast experience of the environment at United and has proved that he is comfortable working in it.’

This development comes on the back of Carrick and Ratcliffe meeting at Carrington last week.

And while the conversations between the pair were warm and cordial and Carrick is still the favoured choice, it suggests he still has work to do in convincing Ratcliffe he has the gravitas for the job longer term.

One interesting wrinkle in this story is the fact Steve Holland – who previously served as Southgate’s long-time assistant with England – is already in situ at Old Trafford.

Holland arrived at Man Utd at the same time as Carrick in January to serve as one of the interim manager’s assistants.

But while Ratcliffe’s mind might not be fully made up just yet, it’s important to stress sources continue to tell TEAMtalk it’s Carrick who is on course to secure the permanent managerial role.