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Manchester United are set to enter into discussions with Michael Carrick next week regarding handing him the permanent manager's role. The former United player has guided the club to great success and the hierarchy are prepared to sit down and thrash out a long-term arrangement.

Carrick stepped in following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim and has since won 10 of 15 matches, propelling the Red Devils to third place as they secure a return to the Champions League. Sky Sports claim that formal negotiations are expected to get underway ahead of United's final fixture at Brighton on May 24.

Carrick will be afforded the first opportunity to meet with the club's top brass, though the possibility of an alternative candidate landing the managerial post has not been entirely ruled out.

United have contacted other individuals, yet Carrick's outstanding work since January has placed him firmly in pole position. The former midfielder, who enjoyed a brief caretaker stint at Old Trafford back in 2021, has won over those above him through his popularity within the dressing room and his assured handling of the media.

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Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are convinced Carrick is the right man to lead United into next season, and are set to put forward their case for the first-choice to Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Despite the impressive run of form, the Manchester outfit have been resolute in sticking to their original blueprint of scouring the market for their next permanent boss. The initial plan was always to have Carrick at the helm solely for the remainder of the season.

His results have made him increasingly difficult to overlook, however. The 44-year-old has masterminded victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa. Yet the club have been eager to avoid a repeat of the situation that saw them hand the reins to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in 2019.

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The Norwegian was only intended as a short-term stopgap when he arrived in late 2018, but an encouraging upturn in results prompted those above him to hand him the position permanently, despite having little desire to do so originally. Solskjaer would depart three years later without a single trophy to his name.

United have been linked with several high-profile managers, a number of whom boast CVs that would far outshine Carrick's. Luis Enrique is on the verge of guiding PSG to back-to-back Champions League titles, but is widely expected to extend his tenure with the Parisians.

Julian Nagelsmann, who previously led Bayern Munich, is currently preparing Germany for the World Cup. Depending on their showing, he could become available after the tournament concludes, though there is a mounting sense that United need someone appointed sooner rather than later. Having a manager firmly in place will prove crucial to their transfer activity.