‘Genius’ Premier League owner nearly hired Michael Carrick over current manager

Michael Carrick is the new Manchester United manager – but his coaching career could have gone down a totally different path.

The Man United legend made his return to the club on Tuesday, stepping in to replace Ruben Amorim on an interim basis.

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He will be in the Old Trafford dugout until the end of the season, hoping to make a push for a top-four spot in the Premier League.

It is a dream moment for Carrick, who played over 450 games and won every major honour at United during his successful 12 years with them as a player.

However, the former Middlesbrough manager may not have found himself in this position if things had played out differently.

In 2024, Carrick became a leading contender to take over from Roberto De Zerbi as Brighton boss.

Fabian Hurzeler eventually got the job, but that came after the United icon opted to sign a new contract at Boro.

And talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook has revealed that he was very close to being appointed over Hurzeler.

Crook has been speaking on Man United’s decision to appoint Carrick as interim manager, and he believes that other Premier League sides could be looking at him soon, as Brighton had done before.

“No other Premier League club would entertain the idea of appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, so why on earth would we have thought it was a good idea?” Crook said on Inside Devils.

“Whereas Carrick, genuinely, I think if he does well in this caretaker spell, I think there will be clubs who are looking at him. West Ham for one.

“I think he was a lot closer to getting that Brighton job before Fabian Hurzeler was appointed than a lot of people realised. So that to me is the level.”

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Crook went on to pile praise on Brighton owner Tony Bloom, stating that if Bloom wanted to appoint Carrick, then Man United must be on the right track by bringing him in.

“I’ve met Tony Bloom on a few occasions, I’ve spent a bit of time with him socially,” he said. “He is an absolute genius.

“If he was willing to entertain the idea of appointing Michael Carrick, that’s good enough for me.”

What can Carrick bring to Man United?

Carrick remaining at Middlesbrough in 2024 and not joining Brighton has led him down the path to Man United.

He was sacked by Boro in June 2025 with his side faltering in the Championship, leaving him free to step in at United now.

The former England international impressed in his first full-time managerial role and will now look to help out his old side.

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And Crook believes the appointment could be a smart one, if he can bring some good out of a poor squad.

“As much as I’m quite pessimistic and negative about Manchester United at the moment, I think Michael Carrick will at least provide some entertaining football,” he said.

“Who knows, maybe a European place and even a Champions League place is not completely off the table. 

“But it’s going to be difficult with this squad. How do you polish a turd? 

“[Manuel] Ugarte was dreadful on Sunday [FA Cup defeat to Brighton]. [Patrick] Dorgu, who they’ve turned into a winger, because Amorim got rid of all the other wide players, is not good enough. 

“[Benjamin] Sesko, actually in the last couple of performances under Darren Fletcher, maybe there are reasons to be encouraged by what he’s doing.”