Michael Carrick can rely on his former Manchester United teammates if he ever needs their services.
Michael Carrick can count on his former Manchester United teammates (Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Mikael Silvestre has admitted that he will return to Manchester United as director of football to work in tandem with Michael Carrick.
The Frenchman enjoyed nine trophy-winning seasons at Old Trafford, with his last two years at the club as a teammate of the United manager. The former defender ended his football career in 2014, but decided not to pursue coaching.
Instead, the former France international opted for a management position and became director of football at Rennes, the club where he began his professional career. He last held this position at the Romanian club CFR Cluj.
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Sylvester is not the only former United graduate to offer his services to Carrick, with Wayne Rooney and Antonio Valencia admitting they gave up their current duties to help their former team-mate. The Frenchman told Grosvenor Sport: “Will these former players return to Manchester United to work under Michael Carrick?
“I don’t know because I think his coaching team is already complete. This department has everyone he needs, so I don’t see anyone from the outside coming in and offering anything extra.”
Mikael Silvestre has offered his services to Manchester United (Image: Getty Images)
“I’ve earned coaching badges, but it’s not for me. I would have preferred the position of director of football, which I got at Rennes after completing my master’s degree in sports management. “I’ll go watch United in September and watch training, but like all former players I follow all my clubs, although I follow United more specifically than others.”
“After all, I played for them for nine years.” Sylvester’s preferred role is currently occupied by Jason Wilcox, who was appointed to the position a few months after Dan Ashworth’s departure.
Rooney never returned to management after his ill-fated spell at Plymouth Argyle in 2024. However, he admitted that joining Carrick at United would be the only role that would allow him to leave his current pundit role.
Wayne Rooney said he would help Michael Carrick at Old Trafford if asked (Image: YouTube/Manchester United)
Speaking in January, the United icon said: “Of course I would do it. It’s not difficult. By the way, I’m not begging for a job here. Just to let everyone know, if I was asked to go, I would of course do it. The appointment of a coach is the most important thing.”
In the case of Valencia, who spent nine years in the dressing room with Carrick, the former United captain said he would be willing to work in any position because of the passion he has for the club.
Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick shared a dressing room at Old Trafford for nine years (Image: Jon Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Currently working for Telemundo Deportes’ World Cup coverage, the 40-year-old told Hajper: “Yes, I would go back. Manchester United is the club that has given me so much.”
“My family were very happy there. I would work at Manchester United in any position, out of passion. It’s a club that I love very much. I think everything they do is going well. But if they called me, I would run.”
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