Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has met with Michael Carrick, but the INEOS chief fancies Gareth Southgate as the club’s permanent manager, according to a report.
Carrick was appointed the interim manager in January, and under the Englishman, Man Utd are on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League.
Man Utd are currently third in the Premier League table at the moment, and there is a very good chance that they will stay there until the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
While Carrick has made a strong case for himself to become the Man Utd permanent manager, TEAMtalk has reported that the Premier League club’s co-owner, Ratcliffe, would like Southgate to be considered, too.
Southgate is without a managerial role at the moment, with the 55-year-old having left his job as the England head coach in July 2024 after the Three Lions lost to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants Gareth Southgate as Man Utd manager
The former Middlesbrough manager guided England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
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Man Utd co-owner Ratcliffe is said to be a big fan of Southgate and ‘has consistently felt that the 55-year-old’s profile would align well with the demands of Old Trafford’.
While Carrick is still the ‘frontrunner’ for the Man Utd managerial role in the long term, Ratcliffe wants Southgate to be strongly considered.
Southgate likes Carrick, too, and met him at Carrington earlier this week, but it is far from certain that the former England international midfielder will be kept in the role at Old Trafford for the long term.
Carrick, though, is not rushing for a resolution just yet.
The Man Utd interim manager said this week: “In terms of deadline, it’s not something I’m really chasing,” he said. “It will become clear when it becomes clear.”
The Man Utd interim manager added: “I’ve said it many times, I enjoy being here, you know? I enjoy the role I’m in.
“We’ve had some good results and we’re in decent shape.
“I think there’s a lot to go, we still want to keep improving, you know, there’s layers that we want to get to, really.
“I’ll see, you know, I’ll see. I keep saying the same things in front of you every week, there’s only so much I can say in terms of that, but I’ve said it many times again.
“I enjoy being here. I love being here. It’s a real privilege to be in the position I am, but thriving with the responsibility that we’ve got.”
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