Carrick appointment blocked Roy Keane's return to Manchester United as Solskjaer's assistant

Roy Keane came closer to a Manchester United return than previously known, with the former captain set to join as assistant manager had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer been appointed interim boss instead of Michael Carrick earlier this year.

When Ruben Amorim left Old Trafford in January, United’s hierarchy weighed up both Carrick and Solskjaer to fill the vacancy. According to The Sun, Solskjaer had identified Keane as his No. 2 — a partnership that would have reunited two of the club’s most decorated figures from the treble-winning era. Carrick, who worked under Solskjaer during the Norwegian’s previous tenure at the club, ultimately won the race and has since converted his interim role into a permanent appointment, retaining ex-England coach Steve Holland as his assistant.

Solskjaer has long maintained a close relationship with Keane despite the Irishman’s famously blunt public persona. “I keep in touch with Roy and have been at his house for a cup of tea,” Solskjaer previously said. “I always listen to Roy and his opinions. I value them very highly.”

Keane’s potential return would have carried significant historical weight. The Irishman spent 12 years at Old Trafford, winning seven Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League before a high-profile exit in late 2005 following a falling-out with Sir Alex Ferguson. Keane has previously acknowledged that Ferguson’s continued presence at the club could complicate any comeback.

Since leaving United, Keane has managed Sunderland and Ipswich and served as assistant to Martin O’Neill with the Republic of Ireland and Nottingham Forest, and to Paul Lambert at Aston Villa.

The appointment of Carrick was not without friction. Keane was openly critical of the decision, remarking on the Stick To Football podcast in a comment directed at Carrick: “His wife can always come in, cause she’s got a bit of a big mouth sometimes. She’s probably doing the team talk.” The barb revived a feud dating to 2014, when Keane criticised Carrick’s display in a Champions League defeat to Olympiacos, prompting Carrick’s wife Lisa Roughhead to respond on social media before deleting the post and issuing an apology.

Carrick’s permanent appointment means the window for Keane’s return — at least under this particular set of circumstances — has closed.