Michael Carrick has said he is "largely" happy with Manchester United's transfer window, despite the club failing to sign a new left back or striker before the deadline.
United spent £163million on midfielders Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, along with teenage winger Tynan Thompson, a total significantly less than several of their biggest Premier League rivals and even some newly promoted clubs.
"What squad is ever the perfect squad?" Carrick said. "You've always got to find ways of adapting. When you're building and going through a period where we're trying to get to the top, you've got to make steps. It's not going to be one hit. It's not just an instant fix and you finish top of the league and you stay there."
"You can always look at it, and there's other things you possibly could have done. Some things become available, some don't. That's just part of evolving the group."
The outlay has raised concerns that United are short of cover at left back for Luke Shaw and have failed to strengthen in attack, after turning down a late loan offer for striker Joshua Zirkzee from Everton, their opponents on Merseyside on Sunday.
Carrick on United's spending
"The situation is what it is, in terms of finances and what we can work with," Carrick said. "I think for what we've spent, we've certainly made the most of it, without a shadow of a doubt, if not even more than that because of the players we've brought in."
"Largely, I think we're in a good place. So we've got players that are flexible as well throughout the whole team and can play in different positions. As you go through a season, you always need that. So, largely pretty happy, yeah."
Carrick added that United had gone into the window wanting to come out stronger than the group they had last season, and that he was "absolutely delighted" with the players brought in, praising the quality and level of player the club had recruited.
Left back options after Dorgu return
United focused on rebuilding their midfield this summer, but a bid for Newcastle United left back Lewis Hall was shelved, and the club decided against several other options, including a deadline-day move for Manchester City's Rayan Ait-Nouri. The club are instead expected to strengthen in defence at the end of the season.
Carrick instead backed Patrick Dorgu to provide cover at left back, despite having used the Denmark international further forward for much of his time in charge.
"He can certainly play there," Carrick said. "He has done, without doubt. I'm not sitting here saying he can't do that. It's just the way we've been since I've been here."
Carrick explained that Dorgu had been injured for some time, meaning he was "almost like a new player" to have, comparing his return to a new signing given how much he had added to the group. Carrick noted that Dorgu had played on the right for Denmark and scored what he called a great goal from a forward position over the summer, before adding that he could also play left back.
Zirkzee to stay in Carrick's squad
Zirkzee had been expected to leave Old Trafford this summer, attracting interest from Italian clubs Fiorentina and Juventus as well as a late loan approach from Everton. The Dutch forward ended up staying at United, meaning he will be part of Carrick's squad rather than facing his own club when United travel to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
"For sure, Josh is important," Carrick said. "Josh is happy here and I have a really good relationship with him. What he wants is to play more than he has done and that's good, the healthy competition for places."
"Josh can do some really top things, I've seen it myself. I'm looking forward to him doing that a little bit more often for us."
United's next fixture is away to Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday, the first meeting between the two clubs since the transfer window closed.
