Carrick urges Manchester United to sign more transfers to boost title bid

What the report says

Manchester United coach Michael Carrick has called on the club to add more players before the new season, saying the squad needs greater depth and quality to keep up with Premier League title rivals. Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported on 13 August 2026 that United have spent about £85m ($114m) on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow since the end of last season, but that total is still well below the spending of clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Carrick’s comments came as United prepare for their league opener away to Hull on 22 August and look to balance domestic ambitions with a Champions League campaign. He said the club had done “really good business” but stressed that recruitment should continue, while also acknowledging that he did not have answers on the financial side of United’s transfer activity. The article also noted that United have not spent more than £89.5m on a single player, the fee for Paul Pogba in 2016.

The report adds that Carrick is entering his first full season as United’s permanent manager after guiding the club to third place last term following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal. Marcus Rashford has also returned to United after a loan spell at Barcelona, though his long-term future remains open. In broader context, the piece reflects the pressure on elite English clubs to build deep squads for multiple competitions and the growing impatience of supporters when rivals spend heavily.