Manchester United announced, on Thursday, the departure of Michael Carrick from his position as coach of the first team, after a disappointing start to the current season, stressing its intention to appoint a permanent coach to succeed him as soon as possible.
The club said in an official statement that Carrick, who returned to Manchester United last January, led the team to occupy third place in the English Premier League during the 2025-2026 season, after achieving 12 victories in the last 17 matches of the season, and collecting the largest number of points among the competition’s clubs during that period.
Manchester United explained that it had reached a decision that it described as “extremely difficult” regarding the necessity of making a change in the technical staff, after the team’s disappointing start to the current season, in order to achieve the club’s ambitions.
The statement added: “Michael was and will always be one of the legends of Manchester United. “As he was during his playing career, he demonstrated the highest levels of commitment and professionalism throughout his return to the club.”
The club confirmed that Carrick's leadership and achievements during last season will continue to be appreciated, indicating that it intends to appoint a permanent successor to him as soon as possible.
The club did not announce the name of the next coach in its statement, only confirming that it would work to resolve the appointment as soon as possible.
Carrick's last match at the helm of the coaching staff was an exciting confrontation that ended in a 4-4 draw against Aston Villa last Sunday, after which he confirmed that he does not intend to give up his position, and that he is looking forward to benefiting from the international break as usual.
But Manchester United's management decided to intervene to save the season, after the team was content with achieving only three victories in all competitions since its launch.
Pochettino, who previously coached Tottenham and Chelsea in England and Paris Saint-Germain in France, stands out as a candidate to take over the job, in a major challenge to return the club to the competition, after it was unable to regain its position since the departure of its historic coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, 13 years ago.
Manchester United, which was the dominant force in English football for many years, lost ground to its rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, as its results continued to fluctuate and its technical staff changed.
The team is awaiting an anticipated confrontation against its traditional rival, Liverpool, at Anfield on November 22, amid anticipation to determine the identity of the new coach before the resumption of league competitions.
Tunisian Ons Jabeur, formerly ranked second in the world, said that she hopes to return to the WTA tournaments in 2027, after giving birth to her first child last April.
Anas had stayed away from competitions last year after her exit in the first round of the Wimbledon Championship, due to injuries and fatigue, before her absence was later extended after announcing her pregnancy.
The player, who finished runner-up three times in the Grand Slam tournament, said in an interview with “The National” newspaper published yesterday (Wednesday): “I hope to return to competitions, and I hope that will be next year.” “I don’t know the exact date yet, but it will be very soon.”
She added: “I am still learning about the changes that occurred in my body after giving birth, but I will definitely come back, and I hope that I can continue in professional tournaments for several more years before retiring.”
She continued: “I enjoy every moment with my son.” In fact, he accompanies me during training, and I am trying to return gradually, step by step.
The 32-year-old player, known to her fans as the “Minister of Happiness” thanks to her cheerful personality, won five titles in the WTA tournaments and also made history in 2022 when she became the first Arab player to reach the final of a major tournament, after finishing runner-up in the Wimbledon Championship behind Kazakh Elena Rybakina.
