United were in disarray when Amorim was dismissed, with poor results and disagreements over the Portuguese’s tactics and formation leading to an increasingly strained relationship with club officials at the end of his 14-month tenure.
Carrick, who also had a three-game stint as United’s temporary boss after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal in 2021, has impressed with his work on and off the pitch.
There was no word in United’s statement on Carrick’s coaching team, which has played a big part in his success.
However, it is understood talks over their contracts are at an advanced stage and no issues are expected, with the experience of former England number two Steve Holland seen as particularly important.
United pledged to run a thorough recruitment process and while some candidates, including England boss Thomas Tuchel, ruled themselves out of the running by extending existing contracts, the club privately say that after a “thorough and discreet process” Carrick was ruled to be the best choice.
Of particular importance has been the attention he paid to the club’s academy teams, in stark contrast to Amorim, who only watched one youth match in person, when it was taking place on a pitch at United’s Carrington training ground within yards of his office.
United now say Wilcox was setting an ambitious target when he told the players in the wake of Amorim’s dismissal that the target was to qualify for the Champions League.
But Carrick achieved it with three games to spare, which played heavily in his favour, as did victories against Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool.
The former England midfielder spent 12 years at Old Trafford as a player, winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
