Manchester United’s manager, Michael Carrick, has made it clear that the club both "wants" and "needs" to increase its transfer activity before the summer market shuts on September 1. As Carrick prepares for his inaugural full campaign at Old Trafford, United have already added Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to the roster for a combined fee of roughly £85 million, and they have secured goalkeeper Karl Darlow on a free transfer from Leeds United.
In addition to those headline names, the club has also brought in Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco. While these three are unlikely to feature prominently in the first‑team line‑up immediately, their arrivals demonstrate United’s broader recruitment strategy, which has been heavily weighted toward bolstering the midfield after the exit of Casemiro and providing a reliable backup for the newly‑appointed No 1, Senne Lammens. The signings of Santos, Tielemans and Darlow represent tangible progress in addressing two of United’s most pressing needs – creative midfield depth and a dependable custodian. Nevertheless, a growing sense of impatience has been bubbling among supporters, who are eager to see further acquisitions that could elevate the squad’s quality.
When asked to evaluate his first summer window as head coach, Carrick expressed satisfaction with the players already on board but underscored that the club is still pushing for additional reinforcements. "We’re delighted with the players we’ve brought in, first and foremost," he told Sky Sports News. "We’ve improved the group.
We’ve added balance, quality and a clear direction. The business we’ve done is solid – we’ve secured some top‑class talent – but we always want to improve.
We want more, we need more. We keep looking forward to how we can do that. That never stops.
We’re conscious of that and we have to keep pushing." Beyond the new signings, United have also welcomed back Marcus Rashford, who rejoined Carrick’s squad for pre‑season after spending the previous campaign on loan at Barcelona. The Catalan side chose not to trigger their £26 million purchase option, allowing Rashford to return to Manchester United. Carrick noted that Rashford’s reintegration has been smooth, treating the England international like any other player while acknowledging the added benefit of his deep familiarity with the club’s culture.
"We’re really calm about bringing Rashford back in," Carrick said. "We treat him like anyone else joining the group, but there’s a slight twist – he knows the club as well as anyone, and that’s a real positive. He’s been here his whole career, apart from the last eight months, so he understands what it means to wear the shirt.
That side of things is natural. We treat him exactly like any other player, bring him into the group and carry on as normal. He brings a set of qualities we haven’t got, and we want that balance with every individual player. Marcus has returned in good form and has been a pleasure to have around this week." Looking ahead to the closing days of the transfer window, United are actively scouting for a left‑back and potentially a third central midfielder.
However, a forward signing appears unlikely at this stage, given Rashford’s return provides a satisfactory solution up front for Carrick’s system. The club has explored a possible deal for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, a promising left‑back, but the Magpies have indicated that Hall is not for sale. Another candidate on United’s radar is Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who could offer the attacking flair the Red Devils desire from the left flank.
Meanwhile, Harry Amass, who featured in pre‑season fixtures, is expected to leave before the window shuts, freeing up space for a more experienced option. United have also kept tabs on Arsenal’s versatile youngster Myles Lewis‑Skelly. Though it remains uncertain whether Manchester United will make a move for him this summer, his ability to operate both as a left‑back and a midfield anchor could theoretically address two positional gaps simultaneously. The club has not ruled out the possibility of concluding the window without adding a third central midfielder, given the arrivals of Tielemans and Santos already provide substantial depth.
Mason Mount, who has been deployed in a deeper role during pre‑season, suffered a minor injury scare that has raised eyebrows among the fanbase. While the medical team is optimistic about his recovery, the incident adds another layer of complexity to United’s squad planning. In summary, Michael Carrick’s early tenure at Manchester United has already seen a flurry of activity, with key signings in midfield and goalkeeping, the return of a home‑grown star, and a clear intent to keep strengthening the roster. The manager’s message is unequivocal: the club is pleased with the progress made, but the ambition to improve remains relentless.
As the deadline looms, United’s pursuit of a left‑back and possibly an additional midfield option will be closely watched, while Rashford’s resurgence offers a reassuring sign that the attacking line may already be in a good place. The next few weeks will reveal whether the Red Devils can complete a transfer window that satisfies both the coaching staff’s tactical blueprint and the supporters’ hunger for success.