Soccer
Michael Carrick reflects on transfer window with Man Utd outspent by rivals
Michael Carrick claims to be “largely” happy with Manchester United’s summer transfer business despite being outspent by rivals and seemingly left short in some areas.
The Red Devils are back in the Champions League after the 45-year-old oversaw an impressive third-placed finish following Ruben Amorim’s acrimonious January exit.
United put their summer efforts into rebuilding Carrick’s midfield, with Casemiro’s exit and a serious injury to Manuel Ugarte offset by the acquisitions of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
The trio could cost up to £155million but that was the only money spent on first-team additions – an outlay that was far less than their rivals.
“We went into the window wanting to come out stronger from the group that we had last season,” United head coach Carrick said. “We’ve definitely added to that.
“I think we’ve done a lot of good work in that respect and the situation is what it is in terms of finances and what we can work with and what we’re trying to get the most of.
“Certainly, the players that we’ve brought into the group I’m absolutely delighted with and I think we’ve done some really good business there.
“You can always look at it and there’s other things you can do, or could have done, possibly could have done. Some things come available, some don’t. That’s just part of evolving the group and trying to push all the time.
“We obviously had certain things that we needed to fill and try and improve the group, and I think largely we’re in a good place.”
Carrick reiterated he was “largely pretty happy” with his team despite United’s inactivity on deadline day angering some fans, especially with the squad looking light in areas like left-back and striker.
“What squad ever is the perfect squad? You’ve always got to find ways of adapting,” he said.
“When you’re building and trying to push to go through a period where we’re trying to get to the top – that’s the ultimate goal – you’ve got to make steps.
“You know, it’s not going to be one hit where everything is (sorted)… and I’m not just talking about players individually, I’m talking about the whole thing of improving as a group, improving as a squad.
“It’s not just all an instant fix and you finish top of the league and you stay there, so there’s a whole kind of road that we’ve got to go down with that in making sure that we keep improving.”
Carrick claimed Patrick Dorgu was like a new signing, just as he did with Marcus Rashford at the weekend, and backed Joshua Zirkzee to step up having surprisingly stayed put.
Fiorentina and Juventus were interested in the Netherlands international, who was subject of a deadline-day approach from Sunday’s opponents Everton.
“Josh is important,” Carrick said. “Again, it’s the team, the squad, the depth, the whole season. Josh is happy here and I’ve a really good relationship with Josh.
“He wants to play more than he has done, and that’s the good competition and healthy competition for places. A lot of games coming up, even in the next couple of weeks.
“Josh can do some really, really top things. I’ve seen it myself, and I know he can do that, and looking forward to him doing that a little bit more often for us.”
