Aaron Wan-Bissaka reckons Michael Carrick merits being handed the permanent managerial role at Old Trafford. The full-back previously worked under the current Manchester United boss when he formed part of the club's coaching set-up.

Wan-Bissaka, 28, joined United for a fee climbing to £50million in 2019 after an eye-catching emergence at Crystal Palace. He clocked up 190 appearances throughout his five-year spell at Old Trafford but experienced some difficult periods before moving to West Ham in 2024.

The full-back was only 21 when he joined United and found being separated from his family challenging. The DR Congo international commended Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's man-management abilities but failed to establish the same rapport with interim manager Ralf Rangnick or his replacement, Erik ten Hag.

Carrick enjoyed a short stint as caretaker boss after Solskjaer's exit in November 2021. Wan-Bissaka appreciated his methods and has urged United to appoint him permanently following five victories from his six matches since returning to the touchline.

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"He's someone you can trust," Wan-Bissaka told 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.

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"He was quite straightforward in what he expected from you. The lads were content with him and the matches he oversaw 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 following managerial changes ultimately resulted in a reduced role for Wan-Bissaka. The right-back reflected on the difficulty of being unable to depart, despite losing 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 continued. "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.

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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 conflicting signals throughout Ten Hag's tenure would have done little to ease Wan-Bissaka's situation at the club. The right-back regularly made the journey back to London following United training and has opened up about feeling cut off from those around him.

"When I moved to United, I really missed home, my family and friends especially," he admitted. "After training, I used to take the train back to London almost every day. It’s only about two hours, but it’s still a big commitment, and eventually it became exhausting, so I knew I had to stop.

"It was something I wasn’t used to at all. I’d always been comfortable at home in London, surrounded by familiar people and places, so for everything to change overnight was difficult to adapt to. Most days I’d just be at home alone, playing PlayStation until it was time to sleep. I struggled. It was probably the lowest I’d felt."