It’s time to reflect on the summer transfer window following a quiet deadline day for Manchester United. Unfortunately for Michael Carrick, there was no late ...
It’s time to reflect on the summer transfer window following a quiet deadline day for Manchester United.
Unfortunately for Michael Carrick, there was no late left-back signing, despite Luke Shaw’s problematic start to the 2026/27 campaign – at fault for goals against Hull City and Ipswich Town.
The main positive from the transfer window from a United perspective is that Carrick now has multiple quality options in midfield to accompany Kobbie Mainoo, who should help form the spine of United’s team for many years to come.
Without further ado, here are the biggest winners and losers from the 2026 summer transfer window.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Andrey Santos: Becoming the first permanent signing under Carrick, Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea. The 22-year-old Brazil international was never a regular at Stamford Bridge, but this move presents a golden opportunity to make it at an even bigger club.
Youri Tielemans: Early contender for United’s signing of the summer due to the fact the Reds got the experienced Premier League star at a steal for £35m from Aston Villa. A much cheaper option than the alternative targets, but if only his contract was more forgiving towards Aston Villa, the Belgium international would have gone for just under double that price. It’s a huge step up for Tielemans, moving from Villa Park to Old Trafford.
Carlos Baleba: It took United a year to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton, but they saved almost £40m in doing so. The Cameroon international earned a career-defining switch to United, despite performing poorly for the Seagulls last season. That makes Baleba a big winner in this list.
Tynan Thompson: Teenage winger Tynan Thompson left Tottenham to make the grade at United. He must be scratching his head at the opportunity Mateus Fernandes missed this summer.
Karl Darlow: Leaving Leeds to sign for United is one of the biggest leaps a professional footballer can make. That goes without saying. We’re sending our massive congratulations to Karl Darlow.
Lewis Hall: United made it clear that Lewis Hall was their primary target at left-back, but Newcastle were unwilling to budge on their demands for the highly-rated defender. Now Hall must wait at least one year to get a big move away from St. James’ Park. Only time will tell if United can replicate Baleba’s transfer after tracking the player for over 12 months.
Manuel Ugarte: If it wasn’t for the injury he sustained at the 2026 World Cup, there’s a good chance Manuel Ugarte would have been sold this summer. That could have led to regular game time for the Uruguay international. He’ll have to wait another year for that because he’s unlikely to be part of Carrick’s plans.
Andre Onana: After spending one year at Trabzonspor, Andre Onana would have hoped for another big club to come in for him this summer. Instead, the goalkeeper remains at Trabzonspor on loan for another season.
**Mateus Fernandes: **Although I would have liked Mateus Fernandes at United, the price Tottenham paid for his signature is beyond belief – along with their equally questionable, if not worse, deal for Sandro Tonali. The Portuguese missed an opportunity to link up with Bruno Fernandes at United. He must be scratching his head ever since making the move.
Jadon Sancho: With a potential move to Al-Ittihad collapsing in recent days, former United winger Jadon Sancho remained a free agent until deadline day. This all stems from having limited offers across Europe, and he now looks set to sign for Brazilian outfit Palmeiras.
