Manchester United took a gamble with Michael Carrick in January, and it has turned out to be a masterstroke. The Red Devils were looking for someone to steady the ship after parting ways with Ruben Amorim midway through the season.
The Portuguese head coach’s 14-month reign had failed to live up to expectations. Amorim initially replaced former manager Erik ten Hag in November 2024 after a poor start to the season.
However, the former Sporting manager had a mixed first six months at the Theatre of Dreams. He reached the Europa League final but lost 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, while the Red Devils ended the season in 15th place in the Premier League table.
Amorim survived the summer, and United even invested heavily in the transfer market. However, the English giants ultimately ended the Portuguese’s stay at the turn of the year, handing Carrick the reins of the first team.
Carrick earned the permanent job
United wanted someone to hold the fort until a more established manager took over at the end of the season. INEOS opted for Carrick, who was part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s backroom staff and had briefly managed the first team after the Norwegian’s departure.
The Englishman was tasked with securing a top-four finish, which would enable qualification for next season’s Champions League. Carrick, however, defied expectation by guiding United to third place in the Premier League with a game remaining, thereby ensuring qualification for the premier European club competition.
United registered 11 wins and three draws in 16 games under the former midfielder, who gifted fans with exciting attacking football and loads of goals. Recent reports suggest that Carrick has already earned the permanent position, although an official announcement is pending.
However, it now appears that the Red Devils wanted a two-time Champions League-winning manager to take over at Old Trafford this summer.
United wanted Luis Enrique
According to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano, Luis Enrique was a dream managerial appointment for some important people at United. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian stated: “Look, on Luis Enrique I can tell you that he was the secret dream of some important, important people at Manchester United.”
“So Man United around January, February tried to understand if there was maybe a chance to land Luis Enrique to the club this summer. Was not possible because Luis Enrique is completely focused on the Paris Saint-Germain Project.”
“At Man United Michael Carrick is staying so that was not a possibility but Luis Enrique is now going to negotiate a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain which is already in the final stages because its very close to being completed. It’s just some small details to clarify, I think it’s going to happen after the Champions League final.”
Luis Enrique: Managerial Career Stats
| Team | From | To | Games Played | Games Won | Games Drawn | Games Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona B | 26 May 2008 | 8 June 2011 | 124 | 59 | 40 | 25 | 208 | 139 | +69 | 47.58 |
| Roma | 8 June 2011 | 13 May 2012 | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 64 | 59 | +5 | 40.48 |
| Celta | 8 June 2013 | 17 May 2014 | 40 | 15 | 7 | 18 | 50 | 58 | −8 | 37.50 |
| Barcelona | 19 May 2014 | 29 May 2017 | 181 | 138 | 22 | 21 | 519 | 147 | +372 | 76.24 |
| Spain | 9 July 2018 | 26 March 2019 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 75.00 |
| Spain | 19 November 2019 | 8 December 2022 | 39 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 76 | 28 | +48 | 51.28 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 5 July 2023 | Present | 173 | 117 | 31 | 25 | 419 | 168 | +251 | 67.63 |
| Total | 607 | 372 | 123 | 112 | 1,355 | 606 | +749 | 61.29 |
Source: Wikipedia.
Final Thoughts
Enrique could have been a fantastic choice for the hot seat at Old Trafford, but Carrick has also shown promise in his brief spell so far. With the right backing in the transfer market this summer, the Englishman could work wonders at the Theatre of Dreams.
Featured image David Ramos via Getty Images
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