Michael Carrick’s first summer transfer window is a real eye-opener compared with his six Manchester United predecessors since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. The ...
Michael Carrick’s first summer transfer window is a real eye-opener compared with his six Manchester United predecessors since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
The 45-year-old Manchester United manager is already into his first full season as the permanent head coach amid the dying stages of the summer transfer window.
Ineos have shown major backing for Michael Carrick in the summer after United invested in a heavy midfield rebuild for the 2026-27 campaign.
United have seen the likes of midfielders Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos all arrive at Old Trafford ahead of the summer transfer window shutting.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Manchester United fans have been left a little bit disappointed that Ineos have been unable to sign a new left-back or forward option in this summer’s transfer market.
But Ineos will point to the spending done on the midfield as the main priority for United after Casemiro’s summer exit and Manuel Ugarte’s injury at the World Cup.
Alongside United’s midfield, another key signing for Ineos had been to bring Karl Darlow to the Premier League club ahead of Altay Bayindir’s loan exit this summer.
Michael Carrick has seen a better first summer window at United compared with past Red Devils managers, including David Moyes’ struggles in the 2013 market.
David Moyes
(summer 2013): Guillermo Varela, Saidy Janko and Marouane Fellaini.
Louis van Gaal
(summer 2014): Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao (loan).
Jose Mourinho
(summer 2016): Eric Bailly, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
(summer 2019): Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire.
Erik ten Hag
(summer 2022): Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Antony and Martin Dubravka (loan).
Ruben Amorim
(summer 2025): Diego Leon, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens.
Michael Carrick
(summer 2026): Karl Darlow, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
The biggest measuring stick for Carrick’s window is the transfer business that Ineos did for Ruben Amorim last summer ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.
United fans have been debating the Red Devils’ current transfer activity and asking if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s regime have outdone themselves compared with the 2025 window.
The last two summer windows under both Carrick and Ruben Amorim have shown a clear-cut change in transfer strategy for Ineos compared with United’s past regimes.
While Jose Mourinho saw a wide range of players arrive at United in his first window in 2016, Ineos had been more targeted with one area of the team in transfers.
Last summer saw a major overhaul of the Red Devils’ attacking options under Amorim and this summer has seen a concentration on the midfield selection.
