Michael Carrick gets third offer from former United star
Michael Carrick has received a third offer from a former Manchester United teammate to return to the club, with Mikael Silvestre saying he would take a director of football role alongside the United boss. Wayne Rooney and Antonio Valencia have also said they would drop current duties to assist Carrick.
Key Takeaways
- Mikael Silvestre is the third former Man United player to offer a return to work with Michael Carrick.
- Silvestre said he earned coaching badges but prefers a director of football role, citing his experience at Rennes and CFR Cluj.
- Wayne Rooney has called joining Carrick's staff a "no-brainer" and the only role that would pull him from punditry.
- Antonio Valencia said he would work for United in any role out of passion while covering the World Cup for Telemundo Deportes.
Who made the latest offer to Michael Carrick?
According to the Manchester Evening News, Mikael Silvestre admitted he would return to Manchester United as a director of football to work in tandem with Michael Carrick.
The Frenchman spent nine trophy-laden seasons at Old Trafford, including his final two years as a teammate of the current United boss. He ended his playing career in 2014 and chose not to move into coaching full-time.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, Silvestre said: "I earned my coaching badges but it's not for me. I'd prefer the Director of Football role which I did at Rennes after I completed my Masters in sports management." He added that he will watch United in September and observe training, while looking out for the club more than his other former sides.
Which other ex-teammates want to help Carrick?
Silvestre is not alone. Rooney and Valencia have also signalled they would leave current roles to assist their former teammate, keeping this story firmly in the Celebrity Breaking News conversation around Old Trafford.
Rooney, yet to return to management since his Plymouth Argyle spell in 2024, has said joining Carrick at United would be the only job that would see him leave punditry. He previously described the prospect as a "no-brainer," while stressing he is not begging for a role and that appointing the manager remains the priority.
Valencia, who spent nine years in the dressing room with Carrick and is covering the World Cup for Telemundo Deportes, told Hajper he would go back in any capacity. "Manchester United is a club that gave me so much," he said. "I would work for Manchester United in any role, out of passion... if they called me, I would go running."
Why does this matter for Michael Carrick now?
The cluster of approaches underlines how strongly former dressing-room allies still back Carrick as United boss. Silvestre's preference for an executive path differs from Rooney's coaching interest and Valencia's openness to any role, but all three frame a return as loyalty to the club and to Carrick personally.
None of the reports confirm that United have offered Silvestre, Rooney or Valencia a job. For now, the story is about availability and goodwill from three high-profile alumni as Carrick continues in charge at Old Trafford.