Manchester United is entering a pivotal summer when aiming to upgrade the squad for the new season, where they will have to fight in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Up to now, two notable contracts of the Old Trafford team are Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, with a total fee of about 85 million pounds. These are considered important additions to the midfield after Casemiro's departure.
In addition, Welsh goalkeeper Karl Darlow also arrived at Man United on a free transfer from Leeds United to act as a backup for Senne Lammens.
However, as the transfer window is still 4 weeks away from closing, coach Michael Carrick still has many problems to solve before the Premier League opening match against newcomer Hull City on August 22.
Will Man United buy more midfielders?
Initially, few people thought Man United would choose Santos and Tielemans. However, they were forced to change plans for many reasons.
The deal to recruit Ederson from Atalanta collapsed after medical examinations revealed problems with the player's knee. Meanwhile, top target Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City, and Man United also withdrew from the race to sign Mateus Fernandes when the price was pushed too high.
The original plan of the Old Trafford team was to recruit two midfielders and will add a third person if Manuel Ugarte is sold. However, the serious knee injury of the Uruguayan international at the 2026 World Cup makes the possibility of leaving him this summer almost non-existent.
Although not ruling out the possibility of buying another midfielder, the "Red Devils" board is currently considering using the remaining budget for more urgent positions.
One of the reasons is Mason Mount's positive performance when Carrick pulled him down to play alongside Andrey Santos in the pre-season period. Besides Kobbie Mainoo, Mount is emerging as a reliable option in the central area.
The gamble named Mason Mount
Carrick's belief in Mount also comes with many risks. The English midfielder played impressively in friendly matches with Wrexham, Rosenborg and especially the 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid. However, Mount's biggest problem is still fitness.
Since joining Man United from Chelsea for £60 million in 2023, Mount has only started 25 times in the Premier League after three seasons due to continuous injuries.
If he maintains good fitness, he can completely become Carrick's "new contract". Conversely, the 27-year-old player's injury history is still a major concern in the context of Man United preparing to enter a season with a dense schedule.
Left-back is the next priority
Besides the midfield, the left flank is also a position that gives Man United's coaching staff a headache.
Carrick wants to use Patrick Dorgu in the role of attacking left winger, while Harry Amass is still likely to leave. That means Luke Shaw is the only true left-back.
Last season, Shaw surprised when he played all 38 matches in the Premier League after many years of struggling with injuries. However, returning to the Champions League makes the schedule much hotter and Man United understand that they cannot put all the burden on the 31-year-old defender's shoulders.
In the pre-season period, Carrick tested Leny Yoro in the right-back position, opening up the possibility that Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui would be pulled to the left wing when needed. Lisandro Martinez may also take on this role, but the board still considers this position to be added before the transfer window closes.
