Manchester United is rebuilding the midfield in a direction different from previous summers, as Michael Carrick prioritizes players who are capable of creating balance and stability. Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have been brought in, while Carlos Baleba is also about to join.
Carrick understands the requirements of the central midfielder position better than anyone else at Old Trafford. In 12 years playing for Man United, he played 464 matches and played an important role in the successful seasons of the "Red Devils". Therefore, the current midfield reform bears the strong imprint of this former midfielder.
Man United have parted ways with Casemiro but are not looking for a player to directly replace the Brazilian midfielder's position. Instead, Tielemans and Santos are chosen to add different qualities. Tielemans excels in passing and controlling the game, while Santos brings energy and midfield balance.
Carrick also wants to have another midfielder and Man United has sent a £60 million offer for Carlos Baleba of Brighton. However, the "Red Devils" have missed some other targets this summer. Ederson of Atalanta did not overcome the concerns in the medical examination, Aurelien Tchouameni continued to stay at Real Madrid, Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham, and Elliot Anderson moved to Manchester City.
These deals show that Man United is no longer willing to use the highest fee to compete in the transfer market. After spending 89 million pounds for Paul Pogba, they now have to consider more carefully the value of each contract. Santos is priced at 48 million pounds, while Tielemans was recruited for 35 million pounds thanks to the release clause.
Carrick appreciates these two new players and believes that they bring better balance to the squad. For him, the value of a midfielder lies not only in the ability to handle the ball but also in connecting the lines, controlling the pace and creating identity for the whole team.
Tielemans is a typical example of this approach. The Belgian player has good passing ability and is prone to building play. When paired with Kobbie Mainoo, Man United may not have a striking midfielder, but Carrick seems to prioritize control and stable operation in midfield.
Carrick himself used to play alongside Paul Scholes in a similar way. He is not a midfielder who only focuses on recovering the ball, but stands out for his composure, ability to read the game and distribute the ball. These are also the qualities that he wants to build for the current Man United midfield.
The English captain especially emphasized the importance of a stable foundation in midfield. According to him, top teams all possess a strong squad, in which the midfield plays a connecting role for the whole team both when controlling the ball and when there is no ball.
That is also the area where Man United has had many problems in the past two decades. While Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City have continuously had successful signings in midfield, Man United has not found similar stability. Bruno Fernandes brings creativity in the number 10 position, but they still lack a solid enough midfield system behind him.
After many years of continuous personnel changes but not thoroughly solving the midfield problem, Man United is trying a different direction. With 12 years playing as a central midfielder at Man United, Carrick has enough experience to understand what the team needs in this area.
