Wayne Rooney: Carrick Must Be Next Manchester United Manager “100%”

Wayne Rooney has issued a ringing endorsement of interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, insisting the club has no choice but to hand him the permanent reins this summer. Speaking after United’s impressive 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, the club’s all-time leading scorer told The Metro that Carrick’s impact has been so profound that changing course now would be a mistake.

“100% he should [get the job]. I have said this,” Rooney stated. “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. We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team. For me, why would you change? He has got the best winning percentage of any Manchester United manager after that many games. For me, he has to get the job.”

Carrick, promoted after Ruben Amorim’s departure, has guided United to third in the Premier League table, with only one defeat—a 2-1 setback at Newcastle—since taking charge. Victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and now Villa have reignited belief around Old Trafford, even though the club crashed out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign. Champions League qualification for 2026/27 remains the primary objective, and Carrick’s back-room team of Steve Holland and Jonny Evans is determined to deliver it.

Despite the upturn, United’s football hierarchy, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, continue to survey the market. Roberto De Zerbi, currently weighing up his next move after leaving Brighton, and former Spain coach Luis Enrique are known targets. Ratcliffe has publicly praised Carrick’s “excellent job” but stopped short of guaranteeing the role beyond the summer.

Carrick himself brushed off speculation, saying: “There’s not that much noise is there? I don’t mean Wayne, just in general. It’s only noise if you listen to it. It doesn’t affect me one bit, to be honest. I’m in this position at the moment, doing the best I can, loving it obviously, and we keep pushing for more.”

With nine matches remaining and form firmly on United’s side, Rooney’s verdict adds powerful pressure on the board to end the managerial search before it gathers momentum.