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A proven Premier League performer, Brighton's Carlos Baleba has been linked with a big move for years.
Arriving from Lille in 2023 for an initial fee of £24 million, the Cameroon international has won fans across the league for his combative style, stamina and passing range across 92 appearances in three years

But when United and rivals Manchester City came calling this time last summer, ESPN sources were told that Brighton were looking for a fee of around £100 million. Now, sources said that United believe Brighton could now be willing to accept a lower offer (reportedly around £60 million) for Baleba, 22, leading to renewed interest.
However, with United having already spent £85 million to bring in two midfielders this summer -- Andrey Santos (£48 million) from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans (£35 million) from Aston Villa -- where might Baleba fit?
United's search for the ideal midfield partner to play alongside Bruno Fernandes is a long-standing issue, so is Baleba a natural replacement for Casemiro? Will he replace the injured Manuel Ugarte long term? Or does he simply provide depth alongside the two new arrivals, plus Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount?

Position
Fundamentally a defensive midfielder, the Cameroon international bases his game on excellent tactical awareness rather than pure disruption. He reads developing situations early, screens intelligently, tracks runners diligently, and plugs midfield gaps without losing discipline in his positional play.
Baleba largely profiles as a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro, albeit without the Brazilian's instinct for late runs onto the attacking box and mid-distance goal threat. -- Tor-Kristian Karlsen

Strengths
Baleba can dominate the center of the park through a mixture of sheer athleticism, diligent defensive ability and the odd cutting pass.
Modern football -- and particularly the current Premier League landscape -- demands midfielders have freakish physicality and stamina in order to hold their own, and at his best, Baleba can prove too tough to handle for just about anyone.
He covers a lot of ground and does it quickly -- he was one of just two central midfielders to top 34 kilometers per hour in 2024-25, per Gradient Sports. That season, his 92 tackles and interceptions combined ranked joint-sixth among center midfielders in the league. That ability to snap to the ball fast, then tackle or intercept cleanly, makes him a blur of activity in the middle third.
Once he has the ball, he's a good carrier, capable of running with the ball over big distances or squeezing past opponents. He maintains his balance in duels on and off the ball, which is key to his success in this area.

Areas to work on
You may have noted above that the statistics used were from the season before last. That's because 2025-26 did not go to plan for Baleba, who started the season poorly (under heavy transfer speculation), got taken off at half-time multiple times and also struggled with injury. He also injured his ankle ligaments this summer, so first things, first, he'll need to fight his way back to fitness and confidence.

Beyond that, his passing is extremely inconsistent. He can keep the ball moving cleanly enough and is capable of using it creatively -- but more often than you'd like, he misconnects with the ball, badly overhits a switch or under-hits a short pass, which puts his teammates in trouble. It's a coaching point United will hopefully work on.
He also offers very little goal threat and is a poor crosser, but that's also not really his job.

So will he fit in?
Theoretically, next to Tielemans in central midfield in Michael Carrick's 4-2-3-1 formation. And, like a glove.
Tielemans was a superb addition earlier this summer, but it was absolutely crucial that Manchester United acquired a more athletic, physically imposing player to partner him -- just as Aston Villa and Belgium did with the 6-foot-6 Amadou Onana.
Santos was a good start, but there was a lingering feeling that United needed another; Baleba fits the brief perfectly, and better yet, the club have been courting him for well over a year.

If Manchester United's midfield is still the same when the transfer window ends -- and it's still an "if" at the moment -- then the question will be: Is it enough?
Casemiro has departed and Manuel Ugarte is facing a long road back from a serious knee injury. Arriving this summer have been Andrey Santos from Chelseaand Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for a combined fee of £85 million. The marquee signing that many supporters expected has not arrived. Not yet, anyway.

Three players considered targets at one time or another -- Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes -- have moved elsewhere. A deal for Atlanta's Brazilian international Édersoncollapsed after issues were raised during the first part of his medical.
So with less than a week to go before Man United open their Premier League campaign against Hull City on Saturday, head coach Michael Carrick is set to pick his midfield from Santos, Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
Mason Mount has been used in central midfield during preseason with some success, but he has missed the last two games with a foot injury. Tyler Fletcher -- son of former Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher -- is considered an exciting prospect, but still only a prospect at 19 years old.
Whoever gets the nod in United's season opener, there will be fans debating whether the team's midfield is ready for the new season.

United haven't ruled out signing a third midfielder. Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga (both Real Madrid), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace), Manu Koné (Roma) and Marc Bernal (Barcelona) are among the names who have been discussed -- some more seriously than others.

The club also have interest in adding a left back to provide competition for Luke Shaw; Myles Lewis-Skelly -- whose future at Arsenal is up in the air -- can do both.
There's still over a week to go before the transfer deadline on Sept. 1 and Carrick has made it clear that he would like more signings before the end of the window. And in the same interview given to reporters at United's training base in Ireland last week, he outlined why he believes the midfield in any team is so important.
"Being a midfielder [during his playing career], that's kind of how I've seen the game," he said. "In some ways, it helps because you're kind of connected to all parts of the team over time. I'm not saying you have to be a midfielder to be a good coach, but I think it's just how my reference points are in some ways.

"What I feel has worked over the years, what kind of football I think the supporters want to see as well -- hopefully that fits together. Naturally, midfield is a big part of the teams that I've coached and been part of because that's just naturally how I see the game."
Carrick insists that even without more signings his midfield has a good "balance."
Fernandes, captain and talisman, is likely to start every game when he's available; Santos is the only recognized defensive midfielder; Mainoo had success next to Casemiro in the second half of last season and has the ability to start attacks but also thrive in the spaces around the opposition penalty box; Tielemans has filled a number of roles during spells at Leicester and Villa whether it's as a defensive midfielder, box-to-box midfielder or playmaker.

Carrick has already spoken to Tielemans about what he expects from him.
"I won't share too much," Tielemans said, when asked about the conversations. "He has got his structure. He wants to have the ball, he wants to press in certain ways. It might be different from what you are used to, what I have been used to before, but they are logical things in my opinion.
"So for me, nothing changes, but it just needs to gel together. Then when you follow those principles, then you can add your offensive qualities, especially in the last third where everything is a bit more in freedom, without obviously overcommitting and keeping the defensive line in place, then I think we can do good things."

United fans will hope he's right. United's current midfield boasts plenty of technical quality, but the debate will be about whether it needs more physicality and athleticism. Teams fielded by both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim were criticized for "not having enough legs."
Carrick was part of what's considered by some supporters to be the club's last great midfield. He won the Champions League in 2008 alongside Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves, with Anderson and Darren Fletcher on the bench.
Since then, United have spent more than £600 million on central midfielders with precious little to show for it. There's an argument that only Fernandes, signed from Sporting CP in January 2020, has been the one real success during that time.
United will hope that, over time, Santos and Tielemans can add themselves to the list. But for now, on the eve of a new season, many fans are left wondering whether it will be enough.

Marcus Rashford must alter his body language and show that he has the "hunger" to play for Manchester United, Wayne Rooney has said.
Rashford is back at United following the conclusion of his loan move to Barcelona last season. He made his first appearance for the Red Devils in almost two years when he came on as a substitute in the 60th minute of United's preseason defeat to Ruben Amorim's AC Milan last weekend.

He was frozen out of United by Amorim in December 2024, joined Villa on loan in January 2025 and then spent last season on loan at the Spanish champions -- who did not exercise their right to turn the loan spell into a permanent move.
Michael Carrick is now the United head coach and he has spoken about Rashford positively, and has said that "he gives [the team] something a little bit different."

On Stick to United -- a new show hosted by United record goalscorer Wayne Rooney and football content creator Mark Goldbridge on Disney+ -- Rooney said that he wants to see Rashford play succeed at United but called for the England international to improve his body language.
"It's such a strange one with Marcus. We know he's got the ability, he's shown that, but has he got the hunger? Does he want to play for Manchester United?" he said.
"I've been there, in 2010, when I asked to leave the football club. Then I stayed. You have to rebuild the relationship with the fans and the easiest way to do that is work hard and work on your body language.

"You could have a bad game, you could give the ball away and make mistakes, but if the fans see you working hard and putting in a shift for the team, they'll accept that to a certain point. I think Marcus' body language, even when he came on, it isn't great. He might have to work with someone to make his body language look better.

"I think his work rate has to improve," Rooney continued. "If he wants to be at the football club, he just has to knuckle down [...] He's the one player that could go and get my goalscoring record.
"I don't want to see Marcus Rashford doing well at Aston Villa or doing well at Barcelona. I want to see him doing well at Man United and scoring goals for Man United. But that means he has to get his head down and work his socks off. Be more positive. Play with a smile on his face."
Rashford registered 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances for Barça and also featured for England at the World Cup, in which they reached the semifinals.

"If he [Rashford] is back playing for United and he wants to be here, I think he has to have a real close look at who's around him. Only he can say who those people are around him who he really trusts. Keep them close to him, go into training and work hard, get himself right. If he does that, he'll be fine," Rooney continued.

"He has to change his body language, whether he likes it or not, to get fans back onside," he added. "It's on him and no one else. He has take responsibility if he's here because, if not, the fans will turn very quickly."
When asked by Goldbridge if Rashford being back at United might work out, Rooney said he's "hoping" but isn't convinced.

"Marcus is still in his twenties, he's still physically in top condition. Whatever's happened, whatever concerns or distractions he had that stopped him from playing a top player for Man United, he has to somehow find a way to get rid of them."

Manchester United intend to reject any offer for Bruno Fernandes before next month's transfer deadline.

BBC Sport was told last week that Turkish club Galatasaray, plus Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan, were considering whether to test United's resolve to keep their captain.
It is thought Galatasaray had a deal they were intending to put to United, which would reach a final fee of 50m euros (£42.7m).

However, the message from senior sources at Old Trafford is that Galatasaray would be wasting their time.
Although last summer they told Fernandes it was his call whether to accept the mammoth offer put to him by Saudi Pro-League outfit Al-Hilal, with the Portuguese later admitting he felt "hurt" by that stance, this time around United have made their position clear.

Club sources say, as yet, there have been no bids for the 31-year-old, but add that he is not for sale at any price.
Fernandes has one year left on his current deal, with an option for an additional season. It is known he would prefer to stay.
A £57m release clause in the Portugal international's contract has now expired.

So far, there has been no agreement over an extension.
While United are in a strong negotiating position, the enthusiastic reception for Fernandes in Dublin for last week's pre-season encounter with Leeds would have left the club in no doubt supporters would react badly if it was not clear they are doing everything possible to keep their talisman.

Fernandes recorded a Premier League record 21 assists last season and is favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26 in Manchester next week.

Calm is the word most used about Michael Carrick by people at Manchester United.

Outwardly at least, nothing knocks him out of his stride.
Take Thursday for instance. During extended chats with the UK media, one journalist asked, pointedly and with persistence, about realistic targets for the season ahead and questioned the club's willingness to spend enough to achieve them.

What Carrick privately thought about the questions, or the manner they were asked, is unclear. But seeing him navigate them was fascinating.
There was no sign of discomfort or irritation as he sat and spoke. Carrick remained relaxed and polite but, without hesitation, answers reduced from their previously expanded form to single sentences, questions were asked in response to questions. Points already outlined were restated.
Then, as the chat switched to other topics, unflustered, Carrick switched back to the in-depth answers from before.
It was almost like Carrick as a player. Take the ball in tight spaces, be aware of the danger, keep composed and move out of trouble.

Pre-season positives, negatives and unanswered questions

There are a lot of positives for Carrick to take from a pre-season of five weeks and six games.
Two wins, two draws and two defeats might look average, but the benefits are clear.
There is huge potential in midfielder Andrey Santos for a start. One of three players - Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven were the others - to start every game, the 22-year-old, £48m summer arrival from Chelsea impressed with his ability to rotate the ball, his positional discipline and communication.
Like Carrick himself, there is an assurance about Manchester United's other major signing, Youri Tielemans, that should spread through the team. There are already signs his link-up with skipper Bruno Fernandes could prove productive.

It was the energised and impactful version of Bryan Mbeumo from the first half of last season that has been on view, rather than the tired one that returned from Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Heaven impressed in defence, Leny Yoro also, particularly at right-back. Amad Diallo did well in flashes when he returned from World Cup duty. The same is true of Shea Lacey, the 19-year-old academy star who clearly needs to be eased in gradually, but of whom so much is expected.

But there are issues.
Neither striker Benjamin Sesko, nor new goalkeeper Karl Darlow featured. Mason Mount, arguably the best player across the first three matches, was not involved again after being taken off as a 'precaution' following a blow to his foot early in the game against Paris St-Germain on 8 August.
Some players in Carrick's squad in Poland this weekend are surplus to requirements.
Midfielder Toby Collyer filled in for Mount, but his future lies elsewhere. Club officials feel interest in him should be high.
Full-back Harry Amass was back-up to Luke Shaw, but the intention for him is also to leave, with sources feeling a loan is more likely than a permanent exit.
Of the more experienced members of Carrick's squad, Joshua Zirkzee is hugely popular and has ability. However, he lacks consistency, or an obvious position in the squad, and Lacey was used ahead of him in the number 10 role at times.

If interest from Italy stacks up financially, it would seem to make sense for the former Bologna man to return to Serie A.
The Marcus Rashford situation needs clarity.
Sources have said the expectation is Rashford will stay at Old Trafford.
However, there remains a chance he will not, which is why Carrick and team-mates who have been asked about the England forward avoid offering a definitive judgement.

Competition at left-back and 'third' midfielder?

The lack of sales affects United's next move in the transfer market.
At the beginning of the month, as supporters began to get edgy at the lack of further deals following Tielemans' arrival on 14 July, a senior club source said their business should be judged at the end of the window.
Carrick's **"we want more, we need more"**assessment of the situation last week was an accurate reflection of the situation.

Competition for the left-back position is required as a matter of urgency. Shaw has a year left on his contract and his ability to repeatedly play three games in a week is unclear. In three weeks, Carrick will have a trip to Everton and a home game with Manchester City to prepare for; in between them is a Champions League game. He must have an alternative option he would feel confident of starting in those games.
Admiration for Newcastle's Lewis Hall is well known. But the club prides itself on its data team coming up with other choices. Surely they are getting to the point where they need to act?

Central midfield is also an area of debate. Can Mount really be the 'third' midfielder spoken about so often in the summer, with the potential signing of Leicester teenager Louis Page as back-up?
Then there are qualified risks. Senne Lammens was excellent in his debut campaign but has just two seasons as a first-choice senior goalkeeper behind him and his unhappy World Cup experience proved he can make major mistakes.

"We've got to be realistic, not get carried away and think everything is going to be rosy," said Carrick last week. "It never is, never was, never will be."
Hull and Ipswich offer a kind start to his first full season in charge, but also the kind of banana skin United have found it so difficult to navigate at points in the past when they had seemed well placed to kick on.
In conversation a year ago with former team-mate Rio Ferdinand, who he welcomed to United's training camp in Dublin last week, Carrick said he sometimes felt he was above the match he was playing in, which gave him a clear picture of what was happening.

That clarity of vision may be valuable in the weeks and months that lie ahead.

Liam van Nistelrooy is beginning to follow in his father’s considerable footsteps, producing a clinical finish for PSV’s U19 side.
The 18-year-old scored as PSV defeated Chelsea 3-1 in the semi-final of the Otten Innovation Cup, sending the Dutch side through to face Palmeiras in the decider.

With his father Ruud watching from the stand, Liam raced clear of the Chelsea defence before delicately lifting the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. It was a finish reminiscent of the former PSV and Manchester United striker’s trademark composure inside the penalty area.

The Poignant Irish Connection Behind Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Goalscoring Son
While his famous surname has naturally attracted attention, there is also a poignant Irish story behind his first name.
Appearing on The Overlap, Ruud van Nistelrooy revealed that his son had been named after his former Manchester United teammate Liam Miller.

Van Nistelrooy and Miller shared a dressing room at Old Trafford after the Cork midfielder joined Manchester United from Celtic in 2004.

Miller made 22 appearances for the club before leaving permanently for Sunderland in 2006, having also spent time on loan at Leeds United. He later represented Queens Park Rangers, Hibernian and several Australian clubs before returning home to play for Cork City.
The midfielder earned 21 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland and scored once for his country.
Miller tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer in February 2018 at the age of just 36. His death prompted an enormous outpouring of grief across Irish and British football.

Later that year, a benefit match between Manchester United legends and a combined Celtic and Republic of Ireland selection attracted approximately 45,000 people to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Robbie Keane and Damien Duff were among the former stars involved in an emotional tribute to the Corkman.

Ruud’s decision to name his son Liam offers another lasting connection to his former teammate.
The younger Van Nistelrooy has been with PSV since joining their U10 set-up in 2017. He signed his first professional contract in April 2025, committing his future to the Eindhoven club until the summer of 2028.
He has since progressed to U19 level and his composed finish against Chelsea suggested that some of his father’s goalscoring instincts may have been passed down

This writer (Robbie Walls) was there for Kobbie Mainoo's real breakout moment in May 2022, the then-16-year-old starting in midfield as Manchester United claimed the FA Youth Cup in front of a bumper Old Trafford crowd.

There's no denying that two-goal hero, Alejandro Garnacho, was the headline attraction for United's U18 side then, but there remained a buzz around Mainoo too. It was easy to see why.
Even then, it felt clear that the Stockport native was destined for big things, a class above his colleagues despite having been among the youngest of the lot.

In the years since, many of that starting lineup and squad have flown the nest, but Mainoo remains front and centre under this new Michael Carrick regime.

Kobbie Mainoo & Co: Where Man Utd's 2022 FA Youth Cup side is now
It hasn't quite been a repeat of the Class of 92, but the 2022 crop can be considered a successful bunch, with starting goalkeeper, Radek Vitek, only recently sealing a £7m move to Middlesbrough, having been Bristol City's Player of the Year last season out on loan.

For the rest of the backline, recent years have largely been spent in the lower leagues of English football, with Louis Jackson - who was a late call-up to replace Tyler Fredricson - the only one of the four still at the club.
Looking to the midfield, it was Mainoo who sparkled in the number six role alongside Dan Gore, the latter man in line for another temporary or potentially a permanent exit from United this summer, after recent stints on loan at Rotherham.

Ahead of the young pairing, the playmaking berth belonged to Isak Hansen-Aaroen, the Norwegian subsequently moving on to Werder Bremen before joining Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in January. He's still waiting to live up to his early potential.

On the flanks, Sam Mather now plies his trade in Turkey, while on the opposite side, the aforementioned Garnacho has seen his stock plummet in recent years, now on loan at Aston Villa following a wretched debut season at Chelsea.

Charlie McNeill, now of Sheffield Wednesday, led the line that day, while his replacement, Joe Hugill, is currently in a rich vein of form in Scotland, scoring 11 in his first 22 games for Kilmarnock after signing in January.
The other most notable member of the bench that day was Maxi Oyedele, the 22-year-old now a Poland international and a potential star in the making at Strasbourg, with eyebrows raised at the decision to sell him on the cheap.

At a time when midfield depth is needed, perhaps Oyedele could've aided proceedings. Alas, INEOS will need to look to the market again for reinforcements.

Manchester United were made to suffer at the hands of Ruben Amorim after they rounded off pre-season with a puzzling 4-2 defeat against AC Milanin Wroclaw.
Despite taking the lead inside two minutes through Harry Maguire’s header, United never looked quite right all afternoon against this dynamic Milan side, ultimately paying the price after Bruno Fernandes' missed penalty

There was plenty of motivation on both sides and while Amorim hugged each and every United player that was in the starting line-up, it was he who had the last laugh thanks to goals from Samuel Chukwueze, Alphadjo Cisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

A week out from the start of the Premier Leagueseason, Daily Mail Sport assesses some of the biggest challenges facing Michael Carrick and his staff this week…

THINGS GO LEFT
It was telling how much of Milan’s joy came down United’s left side in what should be the clincher to adding a new left back this summer.
Chukwueze, who scored himself, had acres of space to pick out Cisse at the back post for the equaliser at 2-2 and it was his cross to the far post for Ramos that teed up the third Milan goal. Loftus-Cheek broke free down the same side and scored to make it 4-2.

United know that left back is an area of weakness and with plans for Harry Amass to depart this summer, relying solely on Luke Shaw, who is a solid player but lacking the legs of his younger days, is an enormous gamble that this match showed would be a mistake.
Carrick made it plain when speaking to reporters that United need more before the September 1 transfer deadline and given this game will be a huge part of the analysis for Hull City and other upcoming Premier League opponents, failure to act and bring in a new left back will leave Carrick needing to get creative to find a solution.
It was imperative before the match but took on an even greater significance by the time this one was done.

LEGS REQUIRED
Speaking of new signings, United need to add more dynamism and more legs into central midfield.
Andrey Santos has been the standout player during pre-season and early on here Youri Tielemans looked like he was finding a groove, particularly when he skipped aside his marker and played a delightful through ball for Amad, who was fouled.

But there were signs here that that partnership cannot be a fits-all solution and that, even with the returning Kobbie Mainoo, United simply have to add a midfielder who can cover more ground and cover up for the areas of, particularly, Tielemans’ game that are lacking.
United went in to the pre-season with the idea of adding three midfielders, only for that to cool given the form of Mason Mount in the first few games.
Mount was not involved here after going off early in the Paris Saint-Germain game and with director of football Jason Wilcox in attendance for this one, the evidence couldn’t be clearer that United are sorely lacking in the middle.
If that continues, they will be too easy to play through. Your move, Ineos…

RASHFORD IS BACK… BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Marcus Rashford pulled on the United shirt for the first time since December 2024 and wore the No 9 shirt, although the club were eager to stress that shirt numbers are still very much undecided for the season ahead.
That wrinkle aside, there was moments of real purpose, commitment and at times excitement from Rashford, a player that nobody around United has categorically ruled out selling or moving on.
It has been known for some time that United are open to moving off the £325,000-a-week attacker, not least given they have Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha at left wing.
Dorgu scored here following a Milan mistake but he cannot be compared to Rashford as an elite left winger.
There are a line of suitors for Rashford, some of which he wouldn’t be open to joining and others that don’t appeal to United.
But if the window closes and Rashford is still in a United shirt, Carrick needs to make the England international a key part of the project to make sure he gets absolutely everything he can out of him.

CARRICK BALL NEEDS PACE
A lot of the concern from this performance was just how easy at times it was for Milan to stifle United both in and out of possession.
Too often United became very lethargic and static with the ball, while out of possession it was a litany of mistakes that pockmarked this day to forget.
Against Atletico Madrid, PSG and Leeds United, there was so much pace to the way United pressed and passed the ball around. When that disappears, as it did here, the problems become crystal clear.
High intensity and high energy is crucial to the way Carrick wants United to play this season.

If that isn’t evident at Hull, the newly-promoted side will fancy their chances of punishing United just like Milan did. The blueprint to stopping United is now clear: slow them down.

Marcus Rashford made his first Manchester Unitedappearance in 20 months as he came off the bench in their 4-2 defeat by AC Milan.

Wearing the No 9 shirt, Rashford was introduced on the hour mark for his first United appearance since December 2024, when Ruben Amorim - now coincidentally in charge of Milan - was just two months into his spell at Old Trafford.

Rashford had limited involvement, touching the ball just 13 times, but he did have one golden opportunity to mark his return with a goal. He latched on to a pinpoint pass from Lisandro Martinez over the Milan defence and raced through on goal, only to be unable to get a shot away.

Despite being handed the high-profile No 9 shirt, United have stressed that squad numbers have yet to be finalised ahead of the new Premier League season.

COUNTY KILDARE, Ireland -- On the day Michael Carrick sat down with reporters at Manchester United's training base outside Dublin for a wide-ranging preseason interview, he found out his daughter, Louise, had passed her A-level exams.

Carrick, appointed United's permanent head coach in May, is facing his own test this season. Parachuted into the job in January, he was a successful interim. The next challenge is to build on it and take another step forward.
It won't be easy. Carrick was part of a United team that was expected to win every game. He carries that same motivation as manager, despite being well aware that this squad is not the same as some of Sir Alex Ferguson's juggernauts. Instead, it's a group in transition

"We understand the reality of what we feel we can achieve," Carrick said. "How strong we are, what we have done over a shorter period of time and what we can potentially do this season and beyond.
"Of course, we've got to be realistic and not get carried away and think everything is going to be rosy, because it never is, never was, never will be. We understand that, but excited and really positive about what's next, and we've got to try and win every game."
Whatever happens between now and the end of the transfer window, United won't be the finished article on Sept. 2. There will still be a sizable gap to Arsenaland Manchester City. And yet the expectation remains. Ready or not.

If nothing else, Carrick seems to be the right man to take it on. He smiles and jokes through question after question about transfers, the returning Marcus Rashford, whether or not there's money to spend -- "to be honest, I haven't got the answers for that" -- and if United can win the title this season. He was calm as a player and is now calm as a head coach.
It's one of the reasons he got the job in the first place. He wasn't flustered last season when he was on the end of stinging -- and personal -- criticism from United legend Roy Keane, and he's not flustered now, even if plans to strengthen the squad this summer haven't gone quite as expected.

Carrick is prepared to put the club's interests before his own and there won't be any wild tantrums if CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox decide a particular player is out of reach. There is, though, frustration among some fans.
Manchester City have signed Elliot Anderson for £116 million; Chelsea paid £1 million more to land Morgan Rogers; Arsenal have added Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle United for £75 million; Tottenham Hotspur have acquired Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes for a combined £185 million.

United have signed Andrey Santos (£48 million) from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans (£35 million) from Aston Villa. They are two good players -- one youthful and exciting, the other proven and experienced -- but, so far, the spending across the squad hasn't been on the same level as their rivals.
Carrick has made it clear he would like more new faces, but each time it comes with an important caveat: "It has to be right."
There are other issues. Left back Luke Shaw started every Premier League game last season, but there are doubts about whether his body will hold up under the strain of three games a week now that United are back in the UEFA Champions League.

First-choice center forward Benjamin Sesko is yet to appear in preseason because of an injury that has dragged over from the end of last season. Carrick has numbers at center back in Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, but there are problems with each -- some are prone to injuries, others are inexperienced or inconsistent.
Forward Bryan Mbeumo, refreshed and sharp in the preseason games, has been a positive; so has Santos, whom Carrick described as "a dream." Some recruitment staff are keen to see Tielemans and captain Bruno Fernandes play together regularly, believing that their styles are well-suited.

If Carrick agrees, that would leave one midfield place for either Santos or Kobbie Mainoo, and it's hard to see Mainoo being left out after doing so well last season.
Carrick's player management was needed over the summer when Mainoo was being overlooked by England manager Thomas Tuchel at the World Cup. It will be needed again with Rashford now that the forward is back after 18 months on loan at Aston Villa and Barcelona.
Carrick stopped short of saying Rashford will definitely be part of the squad this season, but that's where it's headed.
"Marcus can offer us so much," Carrick said. "He has done, and he can do again. In that respect, it's quite exciting."

In terms of interest and headlines, Rashford is still United's star, and having the 28-year-old forward back in the squad will create more questions for Carrick. There are more people watching this season than ever before, with Amazon cameras following every move as they begin to collect footage for the latest "All or Nothing" fly-on-the-wall documentary.

After his media duties end, Carrick escapes the glare for a few hours in the afternoon by going golfing at the team hotel. Carton House in County Kildare, used by Carrick and the squad for a training camp in April, has two courses: the O'Meara and the Montgomerie.
After the last trip to Ireland, United returned home to wrap up Champions League qualification. Handed a tough assignment in the wake of Ruben Amorim's departure, Carrick passed with flying colors. His next examination starts now.