Clear favourite for Manchester United interim role emerges as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick contacted

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a leading contender to become Manchester United manager until the end of the season, talkSPORT understands.

The club has officially begun its search for a temporary boss following the sacking of Ruben Amorim on Monday.

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Darren Fletcher currently holds the interim role but the club are looking for someone to take the job for the remainder of this season.

Former Red Devils player and manager Solskjaer offered up his services, while ex-United midfielder Michael Carrick is also open to the role.

Carrick had a brief stint as caretaker after Solskjaer was sacked in 2018 before going on to manage Middlesbrough.

Both Solskjaer and Carrick have been contacted by the club as they assess their options regarding a short-term successor to Ruben Amorim.

But talkSPORT understands United are more likely to turn to the Norwegian, who became interim boss after Jose Mourinho’s sacking in December 2018 before getting the job permanently before the 2018/19 season ended.

Solskjaer was subsequently relieved of his duties in November 2021 as he gave a tearful exit interview after his departure was announced.

Solskjaer and Carrick are two of multiple candidates for the interim job by senior figures at the club on Tuesday with a few understood to be in the mix.

Sources have told talkSPORT Solskjaer’s return would be welcomed by players including captain Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire, who hold sway with the club’s board.

Fletcher is expected to be in charge for the club’s next two games, which sees them face Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday night and Brighton in the FA Cup on Sunday.

The Scot, who will be assisted by former United teammate Jonny Evans in the dugout, is also an option to remain in the role until the end of the season.

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Amorim was sacked on Monday less than 24 hours after he unleashed a shock attack on the club’s upper management in a press conference.

United chiefs will not rush into a decision and believe they will have a bigger pool to choose from if they wait until the summer to name a new full-time head coach.

Those options include Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto De Zerbi.

What went wrong for Amorim?

Amorim arrived at Old Trafford in October 2024 with a reputation as one of the most in-demand coaches in Europe.

However, he lasted just 14 months in charge and accrued the worst win ratio (32 per cent) of any Man United manager in the Premier League era.

talkSPORT understands that Amorim’s public criticism of his players played a part in his sacking.

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His negative attitude towards academy players was also cause for concern.

Another factor was his reluctance to move from his 3-4-2-1 formation.

It all came to a head when he had an angry exchange with United’s director of football Jason Wilcox folllowing a 1-1 draw with Wolves.

His explosive press conference after the draw with Leeds was the final straw.

Michael Carrick’s Man United record

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Carrick spent more than a decade at Manchester United where he won every English domestic honour as well as the Champions League and Europa League.

He won five Premier League titles in an illustrious career at Old Trafford, playing 464 times.

United also gave him his first taste of management in 2021, where he took charge of the club for three games.

Carrick won two and draw the other in an unbeaten spell before Ralf Rangnick was hired as interim until the end of the 2021/22 season.

Less than 12 months later, he was appointed as Middlesbrough’s head coach.

In a remarkable first season, he steered Boro away from relegation to fourth in the Championship. They eventually lost to Coventry in the play-off semi-finals.

Carrick was then sacked by Middlesbrough in June 2025 after finishing tenth.