Sources: Man United aim for boss clarity next week

Manchester United are hoping to have clarity on who will lead the team for the rest of the season early next week, sources have told ESPN.

The club have been working on appointing an interim for the final five months of the campaign since dismissing Ruben Amorim as head coach on Monday.

Darren Fletcher, who was in charge for the 2-2 draw with Burnley on Wednesday, will be on the touchline again for the FA Cup tie against Brighton on Sunday.

United have had conversations with a number of candidates including former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Solskjaer is set to have a face-to-face meeting with CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox on Saturday.

A meeting with Carrick has already taken place.

Sources have told ESPN that Van Nistelrooy, who was interim for four games last season, remains in contention, although sources close to the Dutchman have said he believes he’s lower down the list of options.

Fletcher, according to United sources, has impressed the leadership team after stepping into the role following Amorim’s sacking.

The former Scotland midfielder won plaudits internally for his attacking approach against Burnley when his team had 30 shots and 10 on target.

According to sources, one of the issues around potentially appointing Solskjaer until the end of the season is the make-up of his backroom staff.

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In the job between December 2018 and November 2021, he took on the role as manager rather than coach and was supported on the training ground by Carrick, Mike Phelan and Kieran McKenna.

Amorim was given license to appoint his own team when he took over in November 2024 — all of whom also departed on Monday — leaving Fletcher to quickly put together a staff of Under-21 coaches Travis Binnion and Alan Wright and former team-mate Jonny Evans ahead of the trip to Burnley.

United’s next game after the cup tie against Brighton is the Manchester derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford on January 17.