Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, Man United has not been able to compete for the Premier League title and is often eliminated early from the race before the new year begins.
However, coach Michael Carrick is bringing some hope. Since returning to Old Trafford in January, he has helped Man United win 39 points after 17 matches, 3 points more than Arsenal, 4 points more than Man City, 14 points more than Liverpool and 18 points more than Chelsea in the same period. If only counting the second half of last season, they may even consider themselves the best team in the league.
That form helped Carrick get a 2-year long-term contract. But his task this season will be completely different. "The Red Devils" may have to play about 60 matches if they go deep in domestic and European leagues, instead of a relatively light schedule last season. The immediate realistic goal may only be to play well in the Premier League, instead of immediately competing for the championship.
CEO Omar Berrada's plan to bring Man United back to the throne in 2028 may therefore require more time. Notably, this summer, the Old Trafford team is also not in the group of the most spending teams.
M.U has been overtaken by Tottenham in the race to win Mateus Fernandes for £85 million, while Man City spent £116 million on Elliot Anderson. This shows that Man United is being more cautious in spending after major investments in the past.
However, the "Red Devils" still have notable deals. Youri Tielemans came from Aston Villa for £35 million thanks to a contract release clause, while Andrey Santos joined for £48 million. However, the midfield is still a worrying issue as Arsenal possesses more quality options.
Man United also needs a real defensive midfielder to fill the void left by Casemiro. The Brazilian player still played an important role last season, especially in scoring ability. However, his forte position is defensive midfielder and Man United has not found a corresponding replacement.
In defense, Luke Shaw has benefited from a lighter schedule than last season and regularly starts in the Premier League. However, the addition of a left-back is still necessary. The limited number of new players partly stems from the fact that Man United has not sold many players. Manuel Ugarte is having difficulties due to injury, Andre Onana continues to be loaned, and Marcus Rashford is likely to return after playing for Barcelona.
In attack, the Old Trafford team has invested about 200 million pounds for Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. All three have scored more than 10 goals in the Premier League, but that large sum of money is only really considered reasonable if at least one person rises to become a top star in the league.
Currently, Bruno Fernandes is still the most outstanding player of Man United. The Portuguese captain had 21 assists in the Premier League last season and is once again expected to shoulder the attack.
Carrick can help Man United progress, but the gap from third to top is certainly much larger than the journey from 15th to third place. They have also not been able to finish in the top 4 of the Premier League for two consecutive seasons since 2021.
