Carrick Calls for More Signings as Manchester United Prepare for Champions League Return
Michael Carrick has called leading Manchester United a "privilege" as he prepares to begin his first full Premier League campaign in charge at Old Trafford, but the new head coach is not pretending his squad is finished. "We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that," Carrick said, according to BBC Sport.
United spent £83m in the summer transfer window, signing Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow arrived on a free transfer after his contract expired. The club also missed out on targets Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes because they refused to match rival offers. The spending was less than that of newly promoted Ipswich and Coventry — a detail that will not sit easily with supporters expecting a statement window.
The picture is not entirely closed. Back in June, United agreed a £35m deal with Atalanta for midfielder Ederson, which would be Carrick's first signing, according to BBC Sport. Perceived weaknesses at left-back and in central midfield remain as the season approaches.
United are preparing for a return to the Champions League — Europe's elite club competition — after a two-year absence. The demands of that extra midweek football, on top of domestic fixtures, are part of why Carrick wants a deeper squad.
One player whose future has shifted repeatedly is Marcus Rashford. Last summer, Rashford was among five senior players — alongside Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia — left out of United's Stockholm squad and told to train at Carrington instead, as BBC Sport reported. The outlook now is very different. Carrick confirmed that Rashford will rejoin his teammates at a training camp in Ireland, per the Mirror, and insisted the forward is "our player" and part of his plans, as reported by the Metro. Rashford is with the squad and could play a role against Leeds at Croke Park, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Carrick, who first arrived in the role in January before signing a permanent contract, is also a strong admirer of midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and believes United must play him, according to BBC Sport. He has also said he hopes Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez and Rashford will be available for United's match against Milan, per the club's website.
For fans, the puzzle is clear: a Champions League campaign, a head coach who admits the squad is short, and a transfer window that has already closed on several targets. Carrick's warmth for the job and his faith in players like Mainoo and Rashford give the rebuild a human face. Whether £83m is enough to bridge the gap between where United are and where they want to be is the question that will hang over Old Trafford all season.
