Manchester United have started their preparations ahead of what is a crucial season for the club and head coach Michael Carrick. The former England midfielder has been named permanent head coach after leading a revival during the second half of last season that earned the club a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have arrived to bolster the squad, and more transfer business is expected.
United’s FIFA World Cup players have not yet returned, but preseason matches have already begun, with a defeat to Wrexham in Finland and a comfortable 5-0 win over Rosenborg in Norway. Further games against Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan are also scheduled before the Premier League kicks off with a visit to newly promoted Hull City on Aug. 22.
Before the real business starts, Carrick, his staff and club bosses have a number of things to address. ESPN looks at five of their most pressing issues as they look to build on a positive end to last season.
1. Finish the squad rebuild
United have revamped their midfield by spending £85 million on Santos and Tielemans, but more needs to be done. It’s possible that a third midfielder will arrive — although not guaranteed — and there’s also interest in signing another striker and a left-sided player. That could be either a left back or a left winger.
Supporters have often grumbled that under the Glazer family’s ownership, the club has failed to invest in the squad properly after qualifying for the Champions League. There will need to be a couple more arrivals before the deadline for fans to be completely satisfied with this summer’s transfer business.
2. Make a decision on Rashford
It’s a situation that will need to be managed carefully. There was an expectation around March that Barcelona would trigger their £26m option to make Marcus Rashford’s loan move permanent. That hasn’t happened and — right now — the most likely scenario is that he will be reintegrated into the first-team squad because the chances of another move being organized before he’s due back in training in early August are slim. It leaves open the prospect that Rashford could be part of the squad next season.
Elements of that are awkward. His No. 10 shirt has been given to Matheus Cunha. There’s also a potential issue with fans who feel that, at times, he hasn’t acted in the right way. The positive thing for Rashford is that Ruben Amorim has gone and Carrick is in. Carrick knows Rashford from his time as a coach under José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and if anyone can get Rashford focused and firing at Old Trafford, it’s Carrick.
3. Assess Maguire and Shaw
One of the issues facing United is how they’re going to handle a season back in the Champions League. Carrick had a lot of success after his appointment in January, but he had to deal with only one game a week. It meant he was able to keep picking the same players — something he might not be able to do when the Champions League starts.
Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are key players for Carrick, but there are doubts about whether they will be able to play a game every three days. Maguire will be 34 in March, and Shaw has had plenty of injury problems in the past.
Both are back in preseason training after missing out on a place at the World Cup with England, and it will be important for Carrick and his staff to understand what kind of load they can cope with next season. He will want his best players available for as many games as possible, but he also cannot risk either Maguire or Shaw picking up injuries and spending extended spells on the sideline.
4. Pick up Lammens
This is one for Carrick specifically. Senne Lammens was near faultless in his first season at Old Trafford, but he might return to preseason training with a dent in his confidence after his mistake played a part in Belgium’s exit from the World Cup. On as late substitute for Thibaut Courtois, Lammens spilled Pau CubarsÃ’s shot, and Arsenal’s Mikel Merino followed up to score the winner. He looked devastated after the final whistle, and it’s important United rebuild his belief as quickly as possible.
Carrick is a good man-manager, and he has the experience of painful World Cup exits with England in 2006 and 2010. Lammens was one of United’s best players last season, and they can’t afford for him to have a hangover from the summer. There might be a similar situation with Kobbie Mainoo after he was overlooked completely by England boss Thomas Tuchel during the tournament.
5. Decide which youngsters to trust
More games next season is likely to mean more opportunity for young players, and if Carrick can find two or three academy graduates he can trust to be regular members of the squad and play between 10 and 15 games, it will give United a lot more depth without having to dip into the transfer budget. Shea Lacey impressed in the win over Rosenborg, scoring the first goal with a good finish. Left back Harry Amass, who got some Premier League experience under Amorim, was also on target in Trondheim.
It will be interesting to see which youngsters stay with the senior squad once the World Cup players return.
