Credit: Imago, Sky Sports News

Evan Lloyd

Sat 14 March 2026 11:39, UK

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to confirm if Michael Carrick will be given the Manchester United job permanently when he was asked in China.

The Man United minority owner is the chairman of INEOS, who are one-third equal shareholders of the Formula 1 team Mercedes-AMG Petronas.

The English billionaire was asked about Carrick following the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, which takes place tomorrow in Shanghai and will be led from the start by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Ratcliffe has attracted significant criticism recently for controversial comments in which he stated that the UK had been “colonised by migrants” – a statement he later apologised for.

Man United’s next manager remains unclear, with several candidates expected to be in the mix alongside Carrick.

What Sir Jim Ratcliffe said about Michael Carrick

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness exclusively told Football Insider last month that Carrick will be the next Man United manager if he can lead his side to Champions League football.

Before the 44-year-old’s arrival, fans of the Red Devils would not have considered it realistic to expect any European football, let alone qualification for the Champions League.

Yet two months later, Carrick’s team are in the driving seat ahead of Aston Villa and Chelsea, having beaten Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham in 2026.

Last week’s defeat to 10-man Newcastle United was a blow, but Man United have had well over a week to recover ahead of a key clash with Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Even if Carrick does lead Man United to a top-four finish, however, it cannot be seen as a guarantee that the job is his.

The likes of Julien Nagelsmann and Roberto De Zerbi are expected to remain in the conversation, which will take place in May.

Asked about Carrick in China on Saturday morning, Ratcliffe told Sky Sports News’ Craig Slater: “He’s doing an excellent job, yeah, absolutely.”

“No, not going there,” he said when asked if the former midfielder would get the job permanently, and on the chance of Champions League football, he said: “Yeah, clearly we’re thinking about that, but it’s still seven or eight games to go, so still a while yet.”

Carrick leads bookies’ race

Carrick remains the overwhelming favourite to take the reins permanently at Old Trafford this summer, but there is still a decision to be made.

Man United’s selection of managers over the past few years have been incredibly damaging for the club both on the pitch and off it.

They must ensure that the next one is the right one, even if that means ignoring a positive end to the season under Carrick.

The 44-year-old leads in one major bookmaker’s odds at 11/8, with De Zerbi (5/1), Nagelsmann (6/1), Oliver Glasner (8/1) and Luis Enrique (12/1) trailing behind.