After leading the Red Devils to UEFA Champions League qualification at the end of the 2025/26 season, Carrick has penned a deal to become United's permanent boss, and fans are hopeful he can reignite the club at the top level.
Carrick is yet to confirm any new faces at Old Trafford ahead of his squad’s preseason return, but Rasmus Hojlund has moved on after a completing a move to Napoli last month.
Midfield is rumoured to be Carrick’s main area of focus with links to Gilberto Mora and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who have excelled at the World Cup, for Mexico and Morocco respectively.
However, United’s record of signing players after a strong World Cup has been mixed in recent years – as shown by their move for Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat after a run to the semi-finals in 2022 – and former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has told Carrick to be cautious over stars performing well in North America this summer.
“I was always wary of buying players on the back of good tournament performances. I did it at the 1996 Euros, which prompted me to move for Jordi Cruyff and Karel Poborsky.
“Both had excellent runs in that tournament, but I didn't receive the kind of value their countries did that summer. Sometimes players get themselves motivated and prepared for World Cups and European Championships and after that there can be a levelling off.”
United have been linked with a move to sign Atalanta playmaker Ederson as a replacement for Casemiro, but that deal now looks to be off, with the club hierarchy preferring a push for France star Manu Kone instead.
The majority of United’s players will not return for preseason training until August due to the World Cup with Carrick’s team kicking off a summer tour against Wrexham on July 18.