Former Manchester United star Aaron Wan-Bissaka has sent a clear message to the club
Aaron Wan-Bissaka playing for Manchester United
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has shared his thoughts on Manchester United's managerial situation(Image: Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
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Aaron Wan-Bissaka believes Michael Carrick deserves to become the permanent manager at Old Trafford. The full-back previously worked with the new Manchester United boss during his time as part of the club’s coaching staff.
The 28-year-old arrived for a fee rising up to £50million in 2019 following an impressive breakthrough at Crystal Palace. He made 190 appearances across his five-year stint but endured some low points during his United career before joining West Ham in 2024.
Wan-Bissaka sealed his big-money move to United as a 21-year-old and struggled being away from his family. The DR Congo international praised Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s man-management skills but did not enjoy the same relationship with interim boss Ralf Rangnick or his successor Erik ten Hag.
Following Solskjaer’s departure in November 2021, Carrick had a brief spell as caretaker manager. Wan-Bissaka was fond of his approach and has called on United to give him the job permanently after winning five of his six games since returning to the dugout.
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“He's someone you can trust,” Wan-Bissaka said to the Daily Mail. “He will also trust you back if you buy into him and what he's looking to do. If you trust him, he will trust you.
“He was quite simple in what he wanted from you. The boys were happy with him and the games he had when he was the manager. With him back at the club now, they are in a good place as a team. I think he should be given the full-time role. I think he deserves it.”
United’s subsequent managerial appointments led to a diminished role for Wan-Bissaka. The right-back recalled the challenge of not being able to leave, despite falling out of favour under Ten Hag.
“It was difficult when Erik ten Hag arrived - as soon as he did, he told me I wasn’t in his plans,” Wan-Bissaka explained. “But when I tried to leave, he said he didn’t want me to go. I couldn't understand it. That was tough mentally, because it left me wondering what I was supposed to do next.
“I just kept my head down and told myself to keep training, keep improving, and play my game. Staying motivated was hard though, especially when you’re training without the clear goal of playing.
Michael Carrick and Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Wan-Bissaka spoke positively about Michael Carrick's work as a coach at Manchester United(Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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“But the people around me guided me in the right way and encouraged me to keep going. Eventually things turned around and started to improve. You could say I changed or developed tactically under him, because that was something he wanted.”
The mixed messages during Ten Hag’s reign would not have made Wan-Bissaka’s time at the club easier. The right-back regularly travelled back to London after United training and has previously spoken about feeling isolated.
“It was difficult,” Wan-Bissaka told the Standard in November 2024. “Very difficult. I went [to Manchester] on my own and it was my first time moving away from home. I had no one up there, apart from my PlayStation.
“Because Manchester’s smaller, everyone’s aware of everything that’s happening. You have to be mentally strong to avoid the negative stuff it comes with.”