Michael Carrick says United will look at January business as the club plan to rebuild the defence over two windows. What Sky Sports reports, where the summer money went, and what our results show.
Michael Carrick has said Manchester United will look to strengthen in the January transfer window, though he does not yet know what form that will take. The comments, reported by Sky Sports, come as the club works on a longer plan to rebuild a defence that has had a difficult start to the season.
What Carrick said, and what is planned
According to Sky Sports, Carrick wants United to make the most of the January window. Sky Sports News understands the club are considering new centre-backs and left-backs, and that the defensive rebuild is planned to run across the next two transfer windows. That would follow two seasons in which the club's recruitment focused on attack and midfield.
Where the summer money went
Sky reports that United spent £163m in the summer. Its figures put £155m of that on three midfielders: Youri Tielemans (£35m), Andrey Santos (£50m) and Carlos Baleba (£70m). On those numbers, the rest of the squad shared about £8m of new spending, which helps explain why the back line was not reinforced. Sky also reports that Lewis Hall was United's main left-back target but that Newcastle refused to sell him and have since given him a long-term contract.
Why defence is the priority
Three things are making the problem urgent, all from Sky's reporting:
- Left-back: Luke Shaw is out of contract at the end of this season, and an injury to him has left Ayden Heaven covering the position, which is not his natural one. Heaven started there at Atlético Madrid.
- Lisandro Martínez: his contract also expires at the end of the season, though the club hold an option to extend it by a year. His future is uncertain, and after the defeat at Atlético he publicly criticised the club's hierarchy. Carrick says that matter has been resolved internally.
- The run of results: United have lost four of their first nine games and are without a win in five.
The numbers behind the plan
Our own results data bears the worry out. In nine games across all competitions United have scored 15 goals and conceded 14. In the Premier League they have conceded nine in six. Away from Old Trafford they have scored three goals and conceded seven in four games, with no win. Those are small samples, but they show that the problem is not scoring: United scored five against Ipswich and four against Sabah FA at home.
What to watch
- Whether the club move early for a left-back, given Shaw's contract and the failed approach for Hall.
- Whether Martínez signs an extension or the club use their one-year option.
- How Carrick's lineup changes if United are again a defender short, as happened with Yoro's red card in Madrid.
Sky also notes that the club's target, set by chief executive Omar Berrada, is to win the Premier League title by 2028. United last won it in 2013. Fixing the defence over two windows would fit that timeline, but January will show how serious the first phase is.
Source: reporting by Sky Sports (linked below). This article is Manchester World's own summary and analysis, with additional context from our match data.
Based on reporting by Sky Sports. This article was written by Manchester World.