Michael Carrick prepares Manchester United for Saturday's opening match against Hull City with a threadbare squad after owner Ineos left him short of major summer transfer signings.
The manager faces an increased workload of 15 additional games following United's return to the UEFA Champions League, yet the club has completed only two significant recruitments ahead of the new campaign.
United have brought in 29-year-old midfielder Youri Tielemans, who arrives with many miles on the clock, and young Chelsea recruit Andrey Santos, who remains far from the finished article. The limited activity leaves United with a lower summer transfer spend than promoted teams Ipswich Town and Coventry City.
Ahead of Saturday's fixture at Hull, United continue to rely on left-back Luke Shaw, who remains unable to play the two games per week required by European competition, alongside veteran defender Harry Maguire. Meanwhile, center-back Matthijs de Ligt has not played since last November, Lisandro Martinez is recovering from a thigh injury after a disrupted campaign, and striker Benjamin Sesko did not feature throughout pre-season.
In midfield, Casemiro has departed and Manuel Ugarte is set to miss most of the season, with no new additions brought in to energize the squad's central core. Pundit Jamie Carragher recently suggested Carrick lacks the "stardust" required to win a Premier League or Champions League title, while some analysts infer he is not the man to lead United forward.
Carrick took over after club owner Ineos begged former manager Ruben Amorim to leave Sporting Lisbon, a tenure marked by tempestuous behavior including punching television screens. Manchester United, founded in 1878 and based at Old Trafford, are one of English football's most successful clubs. Ineos, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, controls football operations alongside chief executive Omar Berrada, who announced "Project 150" to challenge for or win the Premier League by the club's 150th anniversary in 2028.
Speaking to national print journalists in a hotel meeting room in County Kildare following a pre-season friendly against Leeds United, Carrick called for progress while avoiding direct confrontation with club executives. "We've got to keep pushing, really, and push everything in every boundary that we can, to be able to win again," Carrick stated.
Despite United generating the second-highest commercial revenues in world football, Carrick accepted that the club would not pursue £100million players, making United the only "Big Six" club not to do so. He has also agreed to allow Amazon camera crews to film a behind-the-scenes documentary series at the club.
Middlesbrough Rebuild and Teesside Record
Carrick experienced a similar transfer deficit during his first full managerial role at Middlesbrough, whom he took over after a playing career as a midfielder. In his first season on Teesside, Carrick's performances against Sheffield United and Burnley were described as "near perfection," drawing comparisons from observers to Keanu Reeves' character in The Matrix for his calm composure in a manic environment.
However, during his second summer at Middlesbrough, the club lost 14 senior players, including top forwards Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer, as Boro ended their reliance on loan signings. Plunged into a difficult rebuilding phase, Middlesbrough picked up just two points from their opening seven matches and sat bottom of the EFL Championship table following a Tuesday night draw at Sheffield Wednesday where they trailed at half-time.
Despite advice from his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson that "you have to stand up for yourself - there is no other way," Carrick refused to criticize the hierarchy in press conferences. Northern Echo reporter Dominic Shaw noted that "there was never any sign of him rocking the boat" or complaining about squad depth. Asked at Hillsborough what he told his players at half-time with the team rock bottom, Carrick replied: "I kept calm."
Middlesbrough recovered to finish eighth in the 2023-24 season while generating roughly £50million in transfer profits. Forward Morgan Rogers, who joined Boro in July 2023 after struggling on loan, credited Carrick as a "massive part" of his development, stating: "He gave me the confidence to express myself." Carrick called Rogers to thank him but told him: "Don't play down how much you've done yourself."
Rogers later joined Aston Villa in a £15million deal after starring in Boro's run to the Carabao Cup semi-finals. Striker Emmanuel Latte Lath became the Championship's striker of the season after Carrick successfully dropped him to the bench without damaging his confidence, although a source close to the player noted: "It was not all sweetness and light. It's a hard game and his dressing room reflected that." Dutch defender Rav van den Berg also excelled after Carrick personally persuaded him to join on a Zoom call.
Backroom Restructure and Squad Management
At United, Carrick has built a coaching staff featuring assistant Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate, and Jonny Evans to bring stability following the chaotic tactical changes Amorim would make 30 minutes before kick-off. Holland previously served as tactical problem-solver alongside Gareth Southgate with England. At Middlesbrough, Carrick had replaced departing coach Aaron Danks with his brother Graeme Carrick, the former Newcastle United Under-18s coach, after Danks joined Vincent Kompany at Bayern Munich.
Carrick has also managed player relationships quietly. In County Kildare, he declined to express public "empathy" for Marcus Rashford, though soundings indicate he is prepared to offer the England forward a fresh start. Carrick remained in regular contact with midfielder Kobbie Mainoo throughout a difficult summer with England, while winger Amad Diallo is also reported to feel reinvigorated under the new regime.
Tactical Evolution and Upcoming Fixtures
Carrick left Middlesbrough with a reputation for tactical predictability. Following a defeat in 2024, Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris stated that Boro had "only one distinct way of playing" focused on pass-and-move football down the A19 corridor. Journalist Dominic Shaw added that Boro "were not as streetwise as they needed to be," pointing to a pattern of failing to see games out and conceding shambolic goals.
United's current pursuit of Brighton's defensive midfielder Carlos Baleba suggests Carrick is adjusting his tactical approach toward greater central strength. The upcoming schedule will see Carrick face several former players, including Ipswich Town's Chuba Akpom a week on Sunday and Chelsea's Morgan Rogers in two months.
When asked in County Kildare whether Manchester United can challenge for the Premier League title this season, Carrick remained non-committal. "What we've done gives us the confidence to move forward. How quickly we keep moving forward, that's the challenge - but as long as we're stable and we can keep moving in the direction, I think that's what we can ask," Carrick said.
