The former Leeds United defender will join ex-Elland Road teammate Jason Wilcox at Old Trafford.
Ex- Leeds United defender Jonathan Woodgate is set to be part of Manchester United’s coaching team under interim boss Michael Carrick.
Former midfielder Carrick is expected to take charge of Manchester United on an interim basis until the summer, following the decision to sack Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach’s final game was a 1-1 draw at Leeds earlier this month, after which he went on the attack in his post-match press conference.
Despite still having 17 Premier League games left this season, Old Trafford chiefs have opted to appoint an interim manager before making a permanent appointment in the summer. Carrick emerged as the frontrunner over the weekend with multiple reports on Tuesday suggesting an agreement had been reached.
Final details regarding Carrick’s backroom staff were still to be ironed out before a fresh report from BBC Sport named four people who would join the interim coach in the dugout. And among them is former Leeds defender Woodgate, who joins Steve Holland, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion.
Woodgate worked under Carrick at Middlesbrough, with the pair coming close to a Championship play-off spot together last season. But after missing out, Riverside Chiefs decided to make a change in the dugout, sacking the head coach and appointing Rob Edwards, who has since left for Wolves.
Former centre-back Woodgate is from Middlesbrough but got his break into senior football at Leeds back in 1998. He spent five seasons around the first-team picture at Elland Road before leaving in January 2003, joining Newcastle for around £9million as one of the first of several exits that preceded relegation in 2004.
Despite a number of injury issues, Woodgate impressed at Newcastle when fit and was snapped up by Real Madrid, who paid over £13m for the former Leeds man. Unfortunately, that move to the Spanish giants never worked out and he left for Middlesbrough in 2006.
Leeds United reunion at Old Trafford as Jonathan Woodgate joins Jason Wilcox
Woodgate also played for Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City before returning to Middlesbrough to finish his playing career. He was appointed as an assistant at the Riverside in 2017 and after brief spells as a permanent manager at the Riverside and Bournemouth, he returned to the Boro backroom staff under Carrick.
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During his five-year spell at Leeds, Woodgate played alongside Jason Wilcox and is now expected to reunite with the former winger, who is director of football at Manchester United. The 54-year-old has come under a lot of pressure in recent weeks amid reports of his deteriorated relationship with sacked boss Ruben Amorim.
Wilcox spent four-and-a-half years at Leeds, featuring right up until the point of Premier League relegation in 2004. He joined Leicester City on a free transfer that summer before finishing his playing career at Blackpool and going on to enjoy successful spells in coaching or executive roles at Manchester City and Southampton before moving to Old Trafford.
Woodgate is now expected to be in the Manchester United dugout against former club Leeds. Daniel Farke’s side are currently scheduled to go to Old Trafford on Saturday, April 11, although that is subject to change based on TV selections.
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