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The one shock player Man Utd were going to register in January revealed by Solskjaer
MANCHESTER UNITED were close to registering Michael Carrick for the second half of the season.
Michael Carrick: Man Utd is a ‘happy camp’ right now
Carrick retired at the end of the last campaign and is now part of the Manchester United coaching staff.
But with the club having suffered a number of injuries, boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed Carrick was close to putting pen to paper on a playing deal.
The caretaker boss told Norwegian podcast Fotballklubben: “I asked him ‘Michael is there any chance’ with all the injuries?
“So he joined training - and did good, but no, we decided to bring in Jimmy Garner instead and give him the chance.
“We joked with him, ‘Are you going to do a Scholes [retire and then return]?’.
“Michael would have managed for a couple of games, no problem.”
It’s one of a number of revelation from Solskjaer with the Norwegian also going into detail on:
Carrick would not have been the first to rejoin United after initially retiring.
Current Oldham boss Paul Scholes hung up his boots at the end of the 2010-11 season.
But with United struggling due to injuries the next season, the midfielder reversed his decision.
And Solskjaer has revealed how that decision came about.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer compares James Garner to Michael Carrick
“[It was] Fantastic, the boss was in on it,” he added.
“He wanted to have the surprise as a gimmick. The players didn't even know.
“When the players saw Scholes’ shirt in the dressing room it was a standing ovation.”
James Garner has been given the opportunity to get his chance in the Manchester United squad.
And it’s clear Solskjaer rates the 17-year-old, comparing him to Carrick.
The Norwegian had previously said: “James Garner is a Michael Carrick but 20 years younger.”
Solskjaer will be hoping he doesn’t need to call on Carrick again, with the former Spurs midfielder now a key part of his coaching set-up.