Michael Carrick ended up getting the United job, and this season he spent it shaping a side that looked calmer, sharper and harder to shake. He changed formations, restored Kobbie Mainoo to the starting line-up and was a familiar figure at academy matches, where he also handed chances to Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher. His touch was visible across the campaign, from the first win against Manchester City to the last against Brighton.
That run matters because it came while Manchester United were still missing Casemiro and still carrying a squad short on the depth needed to compete on four fronts. Carrick’s natural calm demeanour was never going to turn him into the kind of coach who publicly harangues his own players, and it was that restraint that helped give the season some shape. Over 40 games, he did his bit. Now the recruitment team has to do theirs.
The next step is already clear. Central midfield is the priority for next season, with Nottingham Forest England international Elliot Anderson identified as the prime target. There is also definite interest in Atalanta midfielder Ederson, and talks have already taken place, with a move not being ruled out. United are also keen on Mateus Fernandes, and West Ham’s relegation could bring his price down.
That is where the footballing logic meets the reality of the market. United need bodies, quality and flexibility in the middle of the pitch, and they need them before the demands of another season across multiple competitions begin to bite. Carrick set the tone by making the team harder to read and harder to beat. The next job is less about tactics than squad building, and it is the one that will decide whether his work this season becomes a platform or a pause.
The wider summer picture is already being shaped around Rashford, whose Barcelona future continues to hover over United’s plans. His situation has been covered in detail elsewhere, including reports that Barcelona have not yet moved cleanly and that United’s fee demand has complicated talks, but the midfield rebuild is the immediate task now in front of the club. Carrick has delivered his part. The rest has to come from the people choosing the players.
