Neville Draws Line Under Carrick for United's Top Job, Regardless of Results

Gary Neville has made his position crystal clear: Michael Carrick's interim stint at Manchester United must remain exactly that, irrespective of how many wins he racks up between now and June.

The former United defender spoke on the Stick to Football podcast to rule out any scenario where Carrick graduates to the permanent hot seat, even if he somehow guides the club back into the Champions League reckoning.

"I hope Michael does really well," Neville began, before laying down his marker. "We could be sat here at the end of the season with the fans up, with the team fifth in the table and back in the Champions League spots, and we could all be getting swayed with it. But there cannot be any consideration that Michael takes the job beyond the end of this season, for the sake of Michael and the club, even if he wins every single game."

Carrick stepped into the breach following Ruben Amorim's departure, with the club now in the market for a permanent manager to take charge next summer. The United hierarchy, led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are hunting for an elite, title-winning operator rather than a development project manager—a curious stance given how distant this current squad remains from genuine Premier League title contention.

Neville also touched on the weary familiarity of United's managerial merry-go-round. "When Amorim was sacked and you started hearing the names Michael, Ole, Ruud, it felt a bit sad, like 'We're here again,'" he reflected. "We've been there before with Ole, with Giggsy when David Moyes was sacked. We've seen this movie before."

He acknowledged that bringing in an interim figure was the sensible choice given the availability of big names on the horizon, but warned of impending pressure if summer recruitment falls short. "If they weren't to get the manager in the summer, there will be massive pressure. They must be thinking they're going to get one of the big ones, otherwise they wouldn't have appointed a bridge now."

The United hierarchy are keeping tabs on several high-profile targets. England boss Thomas Tuchel remains under contract through the summer's World Cup and has previously held discussions with Ratcliffe. Paris Saint-Germain's Luis Enrique and Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner are also among those approaching the end of their current deals.

Other names circulating include Xabi Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti, Mauricio Pochettino, Eddie Howe, and Gareth Southgate. Despite Neville's emphatic stance, the bookmakers still have Carrick as the favourite for the job next season—a position that could shift dramatically depending on whether he can haul United back into European qualification spots.