Rio Ferdinand has admitted that Manchester United would have to snub Michael Carrick if one manager showed interest in coming to Old Trafford this summer.
Ruben Amorim was sacked as Manchester United manager in January and Red Devils legend Michael Carrick returned to the Premier League club.
Ineos have been on the hunt for the seventh permanent United manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era amid the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
Carrick has now emerged as one of the favourites to succeed Ruben Amorim on a permanent basis after his successful interim head coach spell at the club.
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Michael Carrick’s interim reign in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign has seen Manchester United secure a return to Champions League football for next season.
Despite Carrick’s impressive track record at the Red Devils, United have been linked with other managers in recent months after Ruben Amorim’s reign came to an end.
Luis Enrique’s name has been attached to United after the former Barcelona and Spain manager’s latest managerial success at Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Rio Ferdinand explained that the world-class calibre of Luis Enrique would make him the immediate frontrunner for United ahead of Carrick.
“He [Carrick] would be my first choice given the lack of options that are around right now, given what he’s done and the lack of options,” he said, as per the Metro.
“The only people I would be looking at seriously and going, ‘Do you know what? Regardless of what Carrick has done’ […] Luis Enrique, if he came up for grabs.
“He’s the manager of the current Champions League winners, the current team that are in there to win it for back-to-back titles and they’re the best team on the planet.
“He’s a great manager. If he’s available, then I don’t care what Michael Carrick has done, you take him because of what he’s achieved.”
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Rio Ferdinand thinks the door has opened for Michael Carrick to become Man Utd’s leading pick for the manager role
United legend Ferdinand spotlighted how Carlo Ancelotti and Thomas Tuchel being off the market have opened a clear pathway for Carrick to remain at United now.
“But everyone else… Carlo Ancelotti has re-signed with Brazil, Thomas Tuchel has re-signed with England,” he added.
“Who else is jumping off the page with no question marks, where you would go with them wholeheartedly.
“So, all these people gesturing and questioning Michael Carrick, just get behind the guy, he’s earned the right and give him a chance.”
Carrick has two Premier League matches remaining in his interim reign, with the Red Devils currently third in the table ahead of returning to action on Sunday afternoon.
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