What is next for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following his Manchester United snub? The Red Devils have opted for Michael Carrick instead of appointing the Norwegian.
Manchester United Appoint Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick has officially been appointed as Manchester United’s head coach for the remainder of the 2025-26 season following the departure of Ruben Amorim earlier this month.
Amorim was sacked off the back of a 1-1 draw against Leeds in United’s opening game of 2026.
Following his exit, Darren Fletcher was promoted from the U18s to take over as head coach of the first team in a caretaker capacity, and he has since returned to the Red Devils’ youth setup.
The Scotsman led United to a 2-2 draw away at Burnley in the Premier League in his opening game before suffering a 2-1 defeat by Brighton in the FA Cup in his second and final game.
According to reports, Fletcher rejected the opportunity to be a part of Carrick’s coaching staff.
Carrick kickstarts his tenure with a home clash against local rivals Manchester City on Saturday.
Old Trafford chiefs are looking to give the ex-England international the best chance at succeeding, with United eyeing Ruben Neves as their first signing of the January window.
The Red Devils had also been linked with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and although discussions had taken place, Carrick was deemed the more preferable option for the rest of the season.
What Next for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?
According to a report from BBC Sport, Solskjaer ‘wants’ Carrick to succeed as United manager.
It is said that the Norwegian considers the Red Devils’ success as the ‘most important thing’ and believes Carrick will do an ‘excellent job’. This is despite the fact he was snubbed for the role.
Solskjaer previously backed Carrick to become Manchester United boss back in 2023.
The former Middlesbrough coach was part of Solskjaer’s coaching staff when he was in charge of United between 2018 and 2021, before taking over as caretaker following Solskjaer’s exit.
“Michael is a man of value and principles, a big family man, but his knowledge is also second to none,” Solskjaer revealed to The Athletic in an interview back in May 2023.
“He’s had Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho as managers, and he’s played with the best players in the world. He’s a winner but he’s still in control of his emotions.
“I cannot see him not being the Manchester United manager.”
Meanwhile, Solskjaer has been out of work since departing Turkish giants Besiktas last year.
He was sacked after eight months in charge having failed to secure European qualification.
So what’s next for Solskjaer after being rejected by Manchester United? It’s not obvious what the future holds, however it has been suggested that he isn’t in a rush to return to management.
The 52-year-old has made clear that he will always make himself available for the United job should it become vacant, as he considers the club to be ‘family’ that will ‘always be part’ of him.
Since leaving Turkey, Solskjaer and his family have reportedly resettled in the Manchester area.
Solskjaer was spotted in Cheshire shopping at a Waitrose store amid reports linking him with the United job last week, sparking a frenzy among supporters across various social media channels.
He simply just lives in the area though, with some reports suggesting that he may be unwilling to relocate again, therefore he could opt to bide his time until the United role becomes free again.
