Two front-runners emerge among four candidates for "Manchester United's new manager" to succeed "Amorrim"; talks have been held with three.
On 7 Jan 2026 GMT+7, BBC Sport, a leading British media outlet, reported the latest news about Manchester United, the Premier League giant, in their search for a new manager to replace Ruben Amorrim, who was recently dismissed.
Sources revealed that Manchester United began seeking an interim manager to serve until the end of this season before appointing a permanent manager in the summer. The four candidates are club legends: Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
However, the Daily Mail reported that Ruud van Nistelrooy, who previously served as United's interim manager before Ruben Amorrim took over in 2024, is now officially out of contention.
Meanwhile, BBC Sport reported that Manchester United has started preliminary talks with Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær. The club will not make a final decision until meeting Carrick and Solskjær in person.
BBC Sport noted that Michael Carrick is one of the candidates to watch, while respected football journalists David Ornstein and Laurie Whitwell revealed that Ole Gunnar Solskjær is the current favorite.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær previously served as Manchester United's interim manager after José Mourinho was sacked in 2018, then became permanent manager for three years before being dismissed in 2021.
Afterward, Michael Carrick took over as interim manager following Solskjær, leading Manchester United to three unbeaten matches (two wins, one draw) before stepping down when Ralph Rangnick was appointed. Carrick later managed Middlesbrough from 2022 to 2025 and is currently unemployed.
Darren Fletcher started coaching Manchester United's U16 team in 2020, was promoted to the first team coaching staff in 2021, then shifted roles to technical director in March that year. He relinquished this position to Jason Wilcox in 2024, coached the U18 team in 2025, and is now serving as interim manager following Ruben Amorrim's dismissal.
