Darren Fletcher insists there have been no conversations over his long-term future at Manchester United despite being put in caretaker charge of the team for two games.
Fletcher will be in the dugout for Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Brighton at Old Trafford after overseeing Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley in the wake of the club’s decision to sack Ruben Amorim.
It’s understood he has an outside chance of landing the interim role until the end of the season, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick are the leading contenders.
The 41-year-old Scot was asked at his pre-match press conference at Carrington on Friday if he has spoken to Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the vacancy, and pointed out that the search is being led by chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.
‘I’ve not, no,’ replied Fletcher. ‘I speak to Omar and Jason, that’s how the processes work. For me, I’ve been focusing on the job at hand, preparing the team for these two games. There’s been no thoughts or conversations about my future.
‘Honestly, the people in charge, Jason and Omar, have given me full responsibility to take control of these two games, make my own decisions, lead the team, guide the team, prepare the team, and that’s what I’ve been doing.
Darren Fletcher said he has not spoken to Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the Man United vacancy
Fletcher said that Kobbie Mainoo (above) is ‘in a good place’ and has trained well
‘There’s been no conversations with anybody outside of those two people in higher-up positions in the club.’
Fletcher confirmed that he will pick from the same squad for Brighton as he did against Burnley.
None of the players away at the Africa Cup of Nations will be available, even though Bryan Mbeumo or Noussair Mazraoui will go out of the tournament when Cameroon face hosts Morocco on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Fletcher said that Kobbie Mainoo seems to be ‘in a good place’ despite uncertainty over his future in the January transfer window.
Mainoo was desperate to go out on loan to Napoli while Amorim remained in charge, but it’s hoped that the young England midfielder will have a change of heart.
‘He seems in a good place,’ he added. ‘Kobbie doesn’t give you much. He’s like that, it’s just his natural way, I know him well, I’ve seen him around the building and had conversations with him. He’s in a good place, he’s comfortable with this environment. He’s trained well.’
