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Carrick has emerged as the first choice after a lengthy interview process since Chris Wilder was sacked on Ocrober 3.

He has apparently received growing references from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Bryan Robson, Gareth Southgate and Ole Gunnar Solkjaer.

Percovich, assisted by Craig Liddle, Lee Cattermole and Mark Tinkler, has overseen one win and two defeats as caretaker-manager, and will be in charge at Wigan Athletic on Wednesday.

Carrick has never managed before – apart from three games, two won, one lost as Manchester United caretaker manager last winter – but then neither had Robson, Southgate, Steve McClaren, Aitor Karanka or Jonathan Woodgate when they were given the Riverside job.

At least one of the coaches Carrick wants to bring with him is understood to be in a job at the moment – Rene Meulensteen, who has been heavily linked with Boro is Australia's assistant manager – and that is further complicating the process.

Highly-rated Dutch coach Meulensteen, who was on the staff at Manchester United during Carrick’s playing career there, would also need a work permit.

Fourteen matches into the season, Boro are in the Championship relegation zone in a season where they were expected to win promotion, Huddersfield, beaten 1-0 by Preston North End yesterday, are directly below them.

Newcastle-born Carrick had three years on Boro's books as a schoolboy, but played only one game – as a centre-forward.