Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are reportedly set for further discussions with Manchester United as the club searches for an interim head coach following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, according to British media.
The former United players are understood to have held initial informal talks with sporting director Jason Wilcox on Tuesday, ahead of the club’s Premier League clash against Burnley.
Darren Fletcher, another ex-United star who currently oversees the club’s Under-18 team, has been placed in temporary charge and will lead the side for the Burnley fixture.
Reports suggest both Carrick and Solskjaer could be part of a revamped backroom setup at Old Trafford after Amorim was sacked on Monday, allegedly following a disagreement with Wilcox last Friday.
A return for Solskjaer would mark a second spell in charge of the Red Devils. The former United and Norway forward first took over on an interim basis in December 2018 after Jose Mourinho’s exit, earning the role permanently the following March. He was later dismissed in November 2021, with Carrick stepping in as caretaker.
United go into the Burnley match sitting sixth in the Premier League, having recorded eight wins from 20 league games this season.
Amorim’s departure came 14 months after he arrived at Old Trafford. In a statement, United confirmed the Portuguese coach had left his position, saying the club’s leadership had “reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change”.
“This will give the team the best opportunity to achieve the highest possible Premier League finish,” the statement read. “The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution and wishes him well for the future.”
Tensions appeared to surface after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds, when an angry Amorim insisted he was United’s manager, not merely the coach, during a heated press conference. He also appeared to criticise the scouting department and director of football Jason Wilcox, telling them “to do their job”.
The 40-year-old had hinted at internal frustrations in the build-up to the match, declining to expand on his comments regarding the club’s transfer strategy. While initially subdued when addressing questions about board support, he was more candid after the game.
Appointed in November 2024, Amorim guided United to the Europa League final in Bilbao in May, where they lost to Tottenham Hotspur, but the club finished 15th in the Premier League last season. His 14-month tenure is the shortest for a permanent United manager since David Moyes’ eight-month spell ended in 2014.
United, 20-time English champions, have not lifted the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge in 2013.
