Darren Fletcher has turned down the opportunity to work on Michael Carrick’s staff ahead of his appointment as Manchester United interim manager.
Fletcher has been leading the first team since Ruben Amorim was sacked earlier this month, but only in a caretaker role.
A permanent appointment is set to come in the summer, with former Red Devils midfielder Carrick set to return to the club and take charge until the end of the season.
After defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup third round under Fletcher at the weekend, Manchester United only have Premier League games left this season, so all Carrick’s attention will be on finishing as high in the table as possible.
The 44-year-old former Middlesbrough boss will take charge of the Red Devils with the team seventh in the table, just three point off the top four.
The BBC report that Carrick is bringing with him former England coach Steve Holland as his assistant manager, and has put together a coaching staff of Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion.
The Athletic report that Fletcher was offered the chance to join that set-up, but prefers to return to his role as Under-18s manager.
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The Scot was in that role before stepping in as caretaker of the first team and it has been agreed that he will continue his development as a coach there.
Binnion is the head coach of the Under-21 team at Manchester Untied and will step up to work with Carrick and the first team.
Woodgate will work at Manchester United for the first time having been a coach with Carrick at Middlesbrough.
After the 2-1 defeat to the Seagulls on Sunday, Fletcher said: ‘It’s a massive responsibility to lead this club, and I’ve gave it my best and ultimately I’m disappointed to not be able to win a game or to get a result today. But I feel like there were some good things in there, we created a lot of chances, shots, things like that. But, ultimately, it wasn’t enough.
‘So I am more disappointed than anybody, really, because I care for the club and I want the club to do well and I want the players to do well. And genuinely mean that, it’s not about me. I’ve had my time as a player, it’s in the bank now, it’s done. Loved every minute of it, was very lucky.
‘It’s all about them. But we need to help them, the club need to help them, and they’re going to need to help themselves.’
Michael Carrick's managerial career
Man Utd caretaker – 2021
Games: 3
Wons: 2
Drawn: 1
Lost: 0
Middlesbrough – 2022-25
Games: 136
Wons: 63
Drawn: 24
Lost: 49
He added: ‘The thing for me is there’s still a lot to play for this season and I think if I look at the players, and we get players back from injury, and AFCON, and we get a fuller squad, I think these players have got the ability to qualify in a Champions League place, and that should be their objective, that should be their mindset.
‘But they’re going to have to come together and be part of that as well. It’s not about a manager; it’s not about directors.
‘It’s about everyone, and the players have to group together, take responsibility, find a way of, you know, improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season. Don’t waste the season.’
