What Michael Carrick Must Do as he lands the Permanent Man United Job

Whether you think he is the right man for the job or not, it now appears that Michael Carrick looks set to manage Manchester United into next season and beyond. Eleven wins, three draws and two defeats in his 16 matches are seemingly enough for the Manchester United hierarchy to deem Carrick worthy of leading Manchester United into the future ahead of much more experienced and proven candidates.

Those in support of Carrick will say that leading the club to third is an achievement and he deserves his shot — and maybe he does — but next season he will have the pressure of being the full-time boss, and all that comes with that.

He won’t be able to rely on just doing things differently to Ruben Amorim, which is what fans of Carrick have been waxing lyrical about since he got the job. Now, he will have to lead all of the big on-field decisions as Manchester United look to become a relevant force in the Premier League once again.

So what’s in the new manager’s in-tray as he seeks to turn his productive interim period into sustainable long-term success?

Upgrade the Midfield

With the form he has shown this season, it will be no mean feat to replace Casemiro when he departs at the end of the current campaign. Manchester United fans have long been crying out for midfielders that can enable the team to play in a modern, attacking style, and realistically they are going to need two, maybe even three quality additions to that midfield area.

Elliot Anderson put on as good an audition for the Old Trafford crowd and the United hierarchy as possible with his performance against United for Nottingham Forest recently. The England international was the best player on the pitch by some way, providing two assists for his team as well as looking like the most assured player on the ball in the wide expanses of the Old Trafford pitch. Anderson will surely start alongside Declan Rice in England’s midfield during this summer’s World Cup in North America and looks tailor-made to be United’s marquee summer signing.

Another midfielder the club should prioritise is Atalanta’s all-action Ederson. The Brazilian, who has missed out on a place in Brazil’s World Cup squad, would bring dynamism, defensive steel and technical reliability that could match up well with Anderson in United’s midfield. He is renowned for his ability to press and consistently ranks highly in Serie A when it comes to regaining possession.

Bournemouth duo Alex Scott and Tyler Adams are others who should be looked at, especially if Manuel Ugarte leaves, with both capable of adding composure and energy to United’s engine room.

Impose a Playing Style

Some supporters of Carrick getting the role look solely at the results, but delve a little deeper and much work is needed when it comes to forging a playing style, with a distinct lack of any real identity — bar counter-attacking football — evident throughout his time so far. Now, that may come over in pre-season, with the fact he will be the full-time boss, but doubters will point to some below-par performances throughout his reign that have heavily relied on individual moments of brilliance from Bruno Fernandes or mistakes from the opposition.

For all the plaudits coming his way for leading the club back to the Champions League — and rightly so — his job over the summer will be to instil a clear style of play into his team that will be able to be maintained throughout the challenging periods that will inevitably come his way next season.

Manage What Should Be a Busy Transfer Window

United’s work in the summer window ahead of the 2025/26 season has been rightly praised, with Senne Lammens, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko all looking like positive acquisitions.

Given Matthijs de Ligt’s injury issues and the restrictive options they have at full-back, more signings — other than the midfield additions already discussed — will be needed at the club this summer. Lewis Hall and Julian Ryerson are options that could be looked at for both full-back roles, while Marcos Senesi is leaving Bournemouth on a free and could be a possibility at centre-half, as could Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.

Managing the outgoings will be just as crucial as the club looks to generate funds to help the new manager with his rebuild. Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and André Onana are four players who should be sold. Jadon Sancho is out of contract, while Rasmus Højlund's loan move to Napoli looks set to be made permanent after their qualification for the Champions League.

What happens with Marcus Rashford is another conundrum. If Barcelona make his move permanent, then that issue is resolved, but if they don’t, it is a saga that could rumble on. His stock is certainly higher than it was 12 months ago after winning La Liga with Barca, but how big is the market for a player on such high wages? This will not all be on Carrick, but the club and the new boss need to be ruthless to help it move on.

Stay tuned for more weekly sports content.