Manchester United coach Michael Carrick has publicly urged the club to increase their transfer activity to keep pace with their Premier League title rivals. As the new season approaches, Carrick believes the squad requires additional quality and depth to mount a serious challenge for their first English title since 2013, while also managing the rigors of Champions League football.
United have spent approximately 85 million pounds ($114m) on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Karl Darlow since the end of last season. However, this outlay pales in comparison to the spending of fellow contenders like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea, who have committed significantly higher fees to secure high-profile talent.
Remarkably, United have never exceeded the 89.5 million pounds ($120.7m) fee paid for Paul Pogba in 2016. With the club currently spending less than promoted sides Coventry and Ipswich, some fans are growing restless ahead of the Premier League opener against Hull on August 22.
“I think we’ve done really good business and we’ve got really some top, top, top players,” Carrick told reporters on Thursday. “We’re delighted with that. We always want to improve. We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that. That never stops.”
Addressing the financial disparity, Carrick noted that while money is a factor, the focus remains on the pitch. “Money’s money, I get that. It’s still about the football, and that’s where the competition lies,” he said. “Certainly, the situation is what it is as well, whether that’s finances or whatever. For now, we’ve got to make the most of it, but we’ve got to keep pushing every boundary that we can to win again.”
When asked why United’s spending levels trail those of other clubs, Carrick admitted, “To be honest, I haven’t got the answers for that. We’re working with pushing everything that we can to make the best of it.”
The squad also sees the return of Marcus Rashford, who spent last season on loan at Barcelona. After the Spanish club declined their option to buy the 28-year-old England forward, questions remain over his future at Old Trafford. Carrick, however, remains optimistic about his role.
“He’s our player, and he’s a good player, and he gives us something a little bit different in the group,” Carrick said. “Marcus can offer us so much. He has done, and he can do again, so in that respect it’s quite exciting.”
Despite the pressure, Carrick remains confident in the team’s potential to challenge for the championship. “We’ve definitely got the potential to achieve something really special,” he said. “I’m not hiding from the fact, and we should aim to do that, but I can’t give you a definite answer on that. It’s certainly what we’re pushing to do because we have to, because that’s the club we are.”
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