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As of 22 May 2026, Michael Carrick is the head coach of UTD. The decision comes after the awful performance led by Ruben Amorim, who was sacked on January 5, 2026, due to performance concerns.
Carrick stepped up to the job after this situation, and he’s completely changed the team. Since joining them as a coach, he delivered 11 wins from 16 games, moving them from 7th in the Premier League to finishing 3rd.
Why Carrick for UTD?
Choosing Carrick was likely a difficult decision for UTD. They just had one of their worst seasons with Amorim in 20+ years, and they didn’t want to repeat this again.
Because of this, the Director of Football, Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada interviewed multiple promising candidates, for example, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Carrick, however, just seemed like the best choice. At the end of the day, he played for UTD, winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League, and the FA Cup. He clearly understood the team's culture, mission, and expectations.
He quickly proved himself as the right manager for the team as well. He inherited United seventh in the Premier League, 17 points behind the winners, Arsenal. Sixteen matches later, the club had claimed third and even secured a Champions League qualification.
Carrick's Plans for the Club
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Moving into the 2026/27 season, he’ll need to shift the team's thinking. The 2025/26 season was largely about survival, and they did much more than that. The 2026/27 season, however, will be about building a sustainable squad.
Carrick already has a lot on his plate. He needs to prepare the squad not only for the Premier League but also for the Champions League. As the 2026/27 season will be his first full season for the club, a lot of preparation work is required pre-season.
Commercially, he’ll be looking to get high-value sponsorships. They already have sponsors like Snapdragon, which is worth £60 million per year through to 2029. Other sponsors include Adidas, Coca-Cola, and others.
They currently have a betting sponsor as well. This may result in them getting a casino sponsor in the future that offers popular online casino games like slots, table games, and blackjack, including football themed games like Football! Cash Collect. If their betting sponsor clause allows it, a casino sponsor could bring in millions for the club.
As UTD just finished strongly in the Premier League, we imagine that Carrick will use this as leverage when seeking out sponsors for their 2026/27 season. The extra coverage from the Champions League will also help.
What Does the Future Look Like?
The next two seasons under Carrick will hopefully change the course of UTD. In the 2025/26 season, it already looked way more positive, especially towards the end. With Carrick’s help, we imagine the 2026/27 season will be much better.
For United fans, most are happy someone like Carrick is now managing the squad. Ex-UTD player, he’s already made improvements, and he secured them a Champions League qualification, all within a few months, so they’re only positive about this permanent contract. |
