Ratcliffe keen on Man United to consider 55-year-old manager despite Carrick heroics | OneFootball

Manchester United are working behind the scenes to consider their options for their next manager position. The Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim this season, replaced him with interim manager Michael Carrick who has done a tremendous job at the club.

The former midfield maestro stepped in as interim boss, and almost overnight, the dark clouds parted.

Yet, despite essentially saving United’s 2025/26 campaign, the 44-year-old might still be looking over his shoulder as the summer approaches.

Michael Carrick has revived Man United

Carrick has been nothing short of a revelation in the dugout. Since taking the reins, he has restored harmony to a fractured dressing room and delivered massive results on the pitch.

With eight wins, two draws, and just two defeats in 12 games, no Premier League side has racked up more points during his time in charge. He has transformed a wildly inconsistent squad into a cohesive unit that currently sits comfortably in third place, firmly on track to secure Champions League football.

Despite his brilliant job at Old Trafford, Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants the club to consider former England boss Gareth Southgate for the Man United job, according to TEAMtalk.

While director of football Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada are conducting a thorough managerial search, the ultimate decision rests with Ratcliffe.

Since stepping down from the Three Lions post in July 2024 following the Euro 2024 final against Spain, the 55-year-old Southgate has been biding his time away from management.

Ratcliffe believes Southgate’s profile is perfect for the club

Former England coach Gareth Southgate (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ratcliffe reportedly believes Southgate’s profile, man-management skills, and experience handling immense media pressure perfectly align with the heavy demands of Old Trafford.

While other heavyweights like Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, and Carlo Ancelotti have been floated by the board, Southgate’s name keeps surfacing as a serious, genuine threat to Carrick’s permanent ambitions.

As we head into the final stretch of the season, Man United find themselves at a massive crossroads.

Do they reward the undeniable results and internal harmony that Carrick has built, or do they pivot to the established, higher-profile vision that Ratcliffe seems to crave with Southgate?

It’s entirely up to INEOS to decide if they want to roll the dice on a new era or stick with the man who successfully brought the magic back to the Theatre of Dreams.