How Solskjaer’s ambition led to him missing out on emotional United return now revealed – report

Manchester United seem to have finally zeroed in on their preferred choice for the caretaker manager’s position until the end of the season. Following Ruben Amorim’s sack, Darren Fletcher, who was the U18s boss, was handed the role on an interim basis. He impressed with his management skills during the drawn Premier League encounter against Burnley, and there were murmurs he could stay on provided the Red Devils advanced in the FA Cup. However, a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion meant the race was ultimately between former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his former assistant manager Michael Carrick. Caretaker hunt As things stand, the Englishman is likely to take charge with Wednesday scheduled to be the first time he takes team training in preparation for the Manchester derby next weekend. According to the i Paper, Carrick’s tactical approach, both as a coach under the Treble winner, and during his spell with Middlesbrough impressed the hierarchy. As already relayed by The Peoples Person, there were doubts about the makeup of the Norwegian’s backroom staff, while Carrick has indicated he is open to working with Fletcher. Interestingly, the baby-faced assassin remains extremely popular with the fans and with certain sections of the squad. Carrick seems the preferred choice And he would have liked to throw his hat into the ring for the permanent post in case he guided the club back to the Champions League. That would have been an alarming situation for INEOS to deal with and hence, the legendary midfielder was ultimately chosen. “Solskjaer retains the support of some senior figures at Old Trafford. Supporters, on the whole, would go for Solskjaer. The Norwegian would be a popular pick as his tenure is widely regarded as the most exciting football United have played since Ferguson, even if results quickly took a downturn. “Solskjaer’s long-term ambitions concerned some, The i Paper has learned. Carrick is fully aware this is a role until the end of the season, with a permanent candidate to be lined up and appointed in the summer. Why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer missed out explained “Had Solskjaer been given the interim role, however, it is understood the 52-year-old harboured ambitions to be given another crack at the job full time, should his temporary stint have gone well.” An emotional return seems to be off the cards for the legendary marksman, and hopefully, Carrick can get the team firing again very soon. The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25