Manchester United have reached a verbal agreement with Michael Carrick to become interim head coach for the rest of the season after further talks on Monday.
Negotiations went on late into Monday night, according to Sky Sports News, when all outstanding issues were ironed out.
The contractual details are now being finalised by lawyers on both sides and Carrick could sign the paperwork later on Tuesday afternoon.
United hope to have an interim in place by the end of Tuesday, following the sacking of Ruben Amorim last week.
This will allow them to take charge of training on Wednesday and begin the preparations for the Manchester derby on Saturday.
Over the past few days, both Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, United’s head coach from December 2018 to November 2021, have met with Jason Wilcox, the club’s director of football, who is leading the process to appoint a new boss.
Carrick and Solskjaer were both candidates for the position and both former United players have met with the club’s bosses and made pitches.
Carrick, 44, previously took charge of United in a caretaker role for three games after Solskjaer, 52, was sacked as head coach, having previously worked under both the Norwegian and Jose Mourinho in United’s first-team coaching staff.
The former England midfielder, who made 464 appearances during a 12-year stint at United, in which he won five Premier League titles and the Champions League, won two and drew one of those matches before Ralf Rangnick took charge for the remainder of the season.
He was named Middlesbrough’s manager in October 2022 and reached the Sky Bet Championship play-offs in his first season, but was dismissed last summer.
United legend Wayne Rooney, a teammate of Carrick’s for most of his time at Old Trafford, has backed the appointment.
Speaking on BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show, the 40-year-old former England captain said: “I was with him in Barbados last week! So obviously none of us saw this coming. Michael is a very clever person and he’ll command respect from the dressing room.”
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Asked if he would join Carrick’s staff if asked, Rooney said: “Of course I would! I think it’s a no-brainer if that’s the situation.”
Carrick is believed to want his former assistant at Middlesbrough, Jonathan Woodgate, to join him on the coaching staff.
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Sky Sports News was told Carrick was particularly impressive with his plans for the remainder of the season in those meetings, but there was also an awareness of how popular Solskjaer was during his previous stint as head coach.
The current short-term interim head coach, Darren Fletcher, said after the 2-1 FA Cup loss to Brighton he has reached the end of his agreed period in charge of the first team.
He will report to the Carrington Training Centre on Monday to find out what the club has in store for him next.
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United only have the Premier League to focus on now, where they are ranked 7th, with Arsenal and Manchester City in first and second place.
They have been knocked out of both cup competitions, so the interim head coach will now focus on qualifying for European football next season.
