Rooney Backs Carrick for United Job as Ratcliffe Eyes Southgate

The battle for Manchester United's managerial hot seat is shaping up as a fascinating power struggle between the club's playing legends and its boardroom hierarchy.

Wayne Rooney has been actively campaigning for Michael Carrick to be appointed as permanent boss at Old Trafford, according to reports. The former United striker has made his position crystal clear, both privately and in public statements, backing his old teammate to land the job full-time.

Carrick was handed the interim role in January and has overseen a remarkable turnaround in results. The Red Devils look destined for a top-five Premier League finish under his stewardship, a considerable improvement on what preceded his arrival. The transformation hasn't gone unnoticed by Rooney, who played alongside Carrick for nine years at club and country level.

"100% he should get the job," Rooney declared earlier this month. "I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick. I know him very well. I know his character, his personality. It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place and the players needed some love, and he has given them that."

Rooney highlighted the statistical case too, pointing out that Carrick boasts the best winning percentage of any United manager across a similar sample of games. The upturn in performances speaks volumes: sharper football, better team cohesion, and genuine quality on display.

However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has other ideas. The United co-owner has long harboured a preference for Gareth Southgate, the former England manager who stepped down from the national job in July 2024. Ratcliffe's admiration for Southgate is well-documented, and he remains interested in pursuing the 55-year-old for the Old Trafford role.

Southgate's pedigree is undeniable. He guided England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final, the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, and the Euro 2024 final. Yet there's a complication: in November 2025, Southgate suggested he was moving on from management entirely. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he reflected on his 37 years in football and expressed enthusiasm for exploring other areas where he might make a difference, noting that replicating the unique position of managing his country would prove extremely difficult.

That stance creates an intriguing subplot. Ratcliffe may admire Southgate, but convincing him to return to the dugout could prove a considerable challenge.