Edwin Van Der Sar backs Michael Carrick to lead Manchester United to 2028
edwin van der sar has put Michael Carrick in charge at Manchester United until 2028. The 44-year-old now gets a long runway after guiding the club back into the Champions League and into third place going into the final day of the season.
Carrick Takes Permanent Control
Manchester United appointed Carrick as permanent head coach after his five-month interim spell changed the club’s position fast. He arrived in January when United were sixth and out of both cup competitions, then moved them back into Europe next term.
Carrick said he wants to “challenge for the biggest honours again” and described leading the club as a responsibility that fills him with pride. “Now it’s time to move forward together again, with ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Manchester United and our incredible supporters deserve to be challenging for the biggest honours again,” he said.
Wins Over City And Arsenal
The run that persuaded United to extend him was built on results. Carrick’s interim tenure opened with consecutive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal, then included key victories over Aston Villa and Liverpool.
Across 16 games in all competitions, he won 11 and drew three. That record gave United the steady return they needed after the January handover from Ruben Amorim, with the team securing a guaranteed third-place finish before the league’s final day.
Wilcox And The Owners
Jason Wilcox recommended the appointment, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family signed it off. Wilcox said Carrick had “thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team” and pointed to the “positive results on the pitch” during the interim spell.
Carrick’s return to the job also carries some context from the wider club picture. He played for United for 12 years until 2018, had a three-game interim spell in 2021 after working under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and was sacked by Middlesbrough just under a year before this appointment. Now he gets the permanent role after five months that restored United’s place among Europe’s top clubs.
