Manchester United’s pursuit of Real Madrid superstar Aurelien Tchouameni is turning into the transfer saga of the summer, offering fans a throwback to the hunt to sign FC Barcelona maestro Frenkie de Jong four years ago.

And while a big-money move for the 29-year-old Dutchman ultimately fell through, it remains uncertain whether the Red Devils will be able to pull off a a blockbuster deal for Tchouameni, even with Real Madrid opening the door to an exit – as conflicting reports in the Spanish media illustrate.

The Case for Tchouameni Staying

Earlier today, Madrid-based reporter Miguel Serrano claimed Real Madrid have ruled out the sale of Tchouameni. While there had been suggestions Los Blancos were interested in signing Manchester City maestro Rodri – a natural replacement for the France international – Serrano dismisses this, saying a deal for the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is not being pursued.

Spanish outlet Defensa Central mirrored this view, claiming Tchouameni is set to be an “undisputed starter” under Jose Mourinho next season, rejecting the idea that the ‘Special One’ is willing to sacrifice the No.14.

In order to reverse this position, Serrano alleges, Madrid would demand an “exorbitant figure” for their midfielder, with a valuation as high as £154 million – a price which would shatter the British transfer record, currently held by Liverpool with their £125m capture of Alexander Isak.

“Real Madrid is not considering selling Tchouameni. He’s an essential player in the club’s plans and also for Mourinho’s style of play. Real Madrid would only agree to sell Tchouaméni to United if they receive an offer of €180 million (£154m), an exorbitant figure because they don’t want him to leave.”

A report relayed by The Peoples Person corroborates Mourinho’s intention to build his new side around the Frenchman, while a separate update revealed sources at Old Trafford believe the player will remain in the Spanish capital come September.

Fans could be forgiven for feeling disheartened by this pessimistic assessment. But it is only one side of the coin; the other half offers a far more positive outlook on United’s pursuit, with a well-respected Real Madrid expert asserting the Spanish giants would be prepared to do business with their Old Trafford counterparts at a “reasonable price.”

The Case for Tchouameni Going

Spanish journalist José Luis Sánchez, who writes for Marca and is a professor at Villanueva University in Madrid, is widely considered one of the best sources for LaLiga updates, particularly those involving Real Madrid.

On the topic of Tchouameni’s future at the Bernabeu, Sánchez states: “The main team interested in him [Tchouameni]…is Manchester United. United are going to come to Madrid to talk. I don’t know if it’s this week or when the World Cup is over, but United will go.

“Manchester United have been Madrid’s best customer with Varane and Casemiro. The feeling is Manchester United is not one of the clubs that mess around with money when it comes to Madrid. [They] would be willing to sell Tchouameni to Manchester United for a reasonable price. I’ve told you and maintain that almost all players, if not all, have a price at Real Madrid.”

This is supported by Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo, which reveals Madrid are “open” to proposals for Tchouameni in order to fund a pursuit of one of their priority targets in midfield. United are “prepared to offer a substantial sum to both Real Madrid and the player to finalise the deal” – with Marca reporter Sergio Valentín claiming the Spanish giants have given their “green light to the transfer.” A bid in the region of €100 million (£85m) is mentioned.

Earlier today, there was an update from AS editor Jose Felix Diaz, in which he revealed United had tabled a five-year contract offer to Tchouameni with a “very good” salary. A previous report by Fabrizio Romano detailed that INEOS had communicated to the player’s camp he would have to accept a different wage packet than his existing one, suggesting a compromise may have been reached between the two parties.

Final Thoughts

Alongside FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United are unquestionably the two biggest teams in world football. Any hint of a big-money transfer between them will spark a tidal wave of reports, arguing both in favour of and against the prospective deal. Cutting through the noise is a difficult task, but putting faith in reliable sources over click-bait merchants is the path towards clarity.

The Athletic, the gold standard for transfer news, contends Madrid are prioritising sales to help fund new recruits, with United “ready” to move for Tchouameni if afforded the opportunity. Sánchez, an excellent source in the Spanish capital, corroborates this viewpoint, overruling the more sensationalist offerings of Serrano and a £154 million asking price.

While INEOS can be accused of many things, the hierarchy in M16 have proven they are no mugs in the transfer market, willing to pull out of deals that prove exorbitant – such as Elliot Anderson or Mateus Fernandes – or press ahead with targets they believe are worth paying the piper for, like Benjamin Sesko or Leny Yoro.

The fact that United remain in the race for Tchouameni suggests the quiet optimism well-placed sources are offering is matched along the corridors of power at Old Trafford. If, and that is a big if, any club in Europe is going to sign the Frenchman, it looks certain to be the Red Devils.

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

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Manchester United have a bit of a dilemma on their hands with Marcus Rashford this summer transfer window.

Getting the recruitment right was already hard enough without the issue of what to do with the talented Englishman.

Currently with his country at the World Cup, Rashford was pushed out of the club last summer with Barcelona snapping him up on a loan deal.

The Spanish giants opted against recruiting him permanently and it’s meant the winger may have to report to the training ground with pre-season beginning soon.

The Red Devils would’ve hoped to have resolved his future before that could happen but the clock is ticking, with Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur only clubs reportedly interested.

The money problem

However, the issue with Rashford has always been his wages, both for Manchester United and those keen on him.

It’s no secret Michael Carrick likely needs to bolster his left-wing but the academy product represents an expensive option for that position.

United’s qualification to the Champions League has only seen a rise in his wages, making him even more difficult to offload but also to hang on to.

Logic would say if you keep him, you have to start him as he’s on too high of a wage to justify being on the bench.

However, if Carrick is forced into keeping him, Rashford’s greatest impact is likely to be from the bench, particularly if Matheus Cunha is the preferred left-winger, with Bruno Fernandes as the 10, and one of Bryan Mbeumo or Amad on the right-wing.

The Brazilian has had a great first season at Old Trafford and is only growing in confidence and ability – it would feel unfair to drop him at this stage and putting him on the right wing or as a striker brings in other squad problems to deal with.

To bench or to start?

The truth is, Rashford’s a dream option off the bench for a manager as he can play on the left-wing, striker, and even on the right.

His abilities have changed since making his debut, no longer the speedster looking to get in behind nor a poacher.

Rashford’s more of a creator and goal scorer of great goals rather than a great goal scorer.

Tiring defenders seeing him come on is sure to make their legs even more limp and he can help unlock stubborn defences – essentially he solves problems that the starting XI might not be able to on occasion.

There’s a reason why Thomas Tuchel has been using him that way so far in the World Cup too.

Even Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Barcelona’s Hansi Flick used him in similar ways.

More games, more problems

However from a squad and financial position, it’s hard to justify using Rashford in this way because his wages suggest he should be a starter.

The Mancunian seems to be struggling from the typical thing that happens when a young kid breaks onto the scene and subsequently plays every minute into their prime.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like he’s declining but it does seem as though he’s a little tired or burnt out and could do with a summer off or having his minutes limited so he’s able to make the most impact when called upon.

Manchester United will want to go as far as possible into all four competitions they’re involved in next season and so a large squad is needed.

In an ideal world, Rashford would take a huge pay cut and be happy with sitting on the bench but the reality is far from the ideal.

The market rules

So what should United do? The truth is, this matter might be out of their hands. The market will dictate whether they’re able to offload him and bring in another left-winger or if the club will be stuck with him.

Cover is needed on the left-wing for Cunha and striker for Benjamin Sesko and Rashford does cover both, potentially meaning he’ll get plenty of minutes that way.

Being a game breaker is an invaluable asset but by business means, it’s an expensive game breaker that is hard to justify and upsets the wage structure for the rest of the team.

Carrick is great at profiling and maximising the talent he has so there’s no doubt he’d be able to get performances out of Rashford but once again, the club have cornered themselves with some of their previous decisions around his career.

What’s best for all?

The 27 year old leaving is probably best for all parties but should he stay, he’ll have to be one hell of a clutch player to justify it all.

Fans will likely re-embrace him again and should Bruno leave in the future and Cunha move inside in his more natural 10 position, Rashford might still have a future in the left wing spot.

How United resolve this issue will dictate whether they’ve learnt from their past and are in safe hands when it comes to the leadership team. Time will tell.

Featured image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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Manchester United’s Senne Lammens was named transfer signing of the season after what was a thoroughly impressive debut campaign.

The Belgian has looked like the most assured goalkeeper since David de Gea’s time at the club, making his debut against Sunderland back in October and not looking back since.

At a club like United, it’s almost a good thing to not have to talk about a goalkeeper as it normally means they’re doing a good job and staying out of the limelight for the wrong reasons.

However, in this instance, it’s a big positive to be speaking about Lammens and not just because of his performances.

Big win, small fee

The Red Devils purchased him for a cheap fee, from a ‘smaller’ league, with seemingly little to no competition or fanfare.

And yet, he’s proven to be an astute buy which is no mean feat when he’s up against the successful purchases of Mattheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko.

In fact, the club should go as far as making Lammens the model type of transfer they should be making moving forward.

The 23 year old is in the right age bracket, his statistics suggested he’d be a good fit, and he was scouted thoroughly with glowing reviews. What’s not to like?

Don’t repeat history

In previous years, Manchester United would have gone for the statement signing, expensive and hurting their wage structure. Often buying for buying’s sake in the hope this signing will finally be the one to put an end to the post-Sir Alex Ferguson failures.

Lammens represents a shift in strategy and one the club should lean into even more – narrow players down by profile and character, study the stats, send in scouts to watch them over months, and finally when it’s right, strike.

If United can do this with a proper strategy with respects to overall squad building, their wait for the Premier League title won’t last much longer.

The only embarrassing thing here is Old Trafford are behind every other club that’s already been doing this for years.

The Red Devils would see their quality improve drastically without hurting their wallets or upsetting any type of wage structure.

Trust the experts

This also leaves them the opportunity to make the statement signings when it’s the right time and fit, not sporadically or in a scattergun type of way.

More importantly than all, Lammens was signed over Emiliano Martinez who was put forward by Ruben Amorim – oh how things could have gone wrong.

That’s not to say Martinez definitely would’ve been a failure at the club but he’s now 33, would’ve been expensive to buy as his contract runs out in 2029, and he almost certainly would’ve demanded a big payday.

Lammens has so far proven to be a shrewd buy and should be the standard for the club moving forward so they can enjoy further success in this transfer window and beyond. Anything less leaves us in the vicious cycle of our past mistakes and failures.

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

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Both David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have confirmed that the Red Devils have agreed an initial £35 million deal for the Brazilian.

Atalanta will be due another £3.8 million in add-ons should the midfield maestro tick all the boxes during his four-year stay.

The 20-time English league champions have the option of extending the Brazil international’s stay for another year, should he impress.

Ederson expected to be United’s first summer signing

A medical and an announcement is likely in early July. Now with all that out of the way, just what can fans expect from the 26-year-old?

It is well known that the Old Trafford side are looking to bring in a successor for the departing Casemiro. Can his compatriot fill the void?

For starters, he is much more mobile than the 34-year-old. Ederson’s engine and non-stop pressing were key factors which made Gian Piero Gasperini love him so much.

During Atalanta’s Europa League-winning run, Ederson ranked in the 96th percentile for recoveries and in the 98th percentile for interceptions.

Why Wilcox was a fan

This clearly shows how proactive the Brazilian is without the ball, while also showcasing his relentless energy and intelligence.. He is no slouch with the ball as well, as his new coach will attest to.

Since Gasperini’s departure, the former Salernitana ace has had to adapt his game, but as seen from his 3,169 minutes played this season, both Ivan Juric and Raffaele Palladino were clearly fans.

He ranked in the 92nd percentile for long balls, and is a high-volume passer, something that will help United keep possession (all stats via sofascore).

His intelligence combined with his drive saw former England manager Fabio Capello call him “out of this world“. His availability is another green flag, with the midfield dynamo missing only 10 games in four seasons at the New Balance Arena.

Ederson will fit in nicely alongside Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes

What he will not bring is creativity from deep and Casemiro’s aerial ability from set-pieces. I’m sure INEOS were already aware of this when choosing to bring him in.

Ederson will complement a midfield combo of Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes with his engine, but he is unlikely to be the exact replacement for Casemiro.

He can play the defensive midfield role, but he is best as a box-to-box presence who can crash into the box to score vital goals, as seen from his three strikes this season.

Fans should be happy that INEOS have got business done nice and early, especially considering the interest the player was generating. Still, United will need two more signings to completely revamp the midfield.

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Manchester United are on the hunt for two of the finest midfielders in the Championship as the club considers raids for Hayden Hackney and Shea Charles, a new report has revealed.

Bolstering the Squad

United’s priority in INEOS’ third summer at the helm is a complete revamp in midfield, with the previous windows having focused on upgrading the defence and attack. Only Manuel Ugarte has been signed to bolster the middle of the pitch since Sir Jim Ratcliffe became co-owner, a transfer which is comfortably the worst of the hierarchy’s tenure.

Man United's signings under INEOS - Ratings

The 25-year-old Uruguayan will be sold if a suitable buyer can be sourced, while Casemiro is certain to depart once his contract expires, leaving Kobbie Mainoo as the only senior midfielder at Old Trafford.

A replacement for the Brazilian behemoth is considered the most urgent, and the one which will cost the most. A versatile No.8 to rotate with Mainoo is also on the agenda, as is a younger (and cheaper) option to provide depth — but only if Ugarte is sold.

The Athletic reveals two of the names on United’s wish list are Hackney, Middlesbrough’s midfield maestro, and Southampton dynamo Charles. By dipping into the Championship, the Red Devils will be able to target players who are comfortable in a league with similar speed and intensity to the Premier League, without the associated costs.

There is the obvious caveat of how those signings will adapt to the obvious jump in quality from England’s second division to its first, but the Premier League is filled with quality operators who first made their name elsewhere in the football pyramid.

Hayden Hackney

Hackney is obviously well-known to United’s head coach, Michael Carrick, after the pair’s shared time at the Riverside Stadium. However, the 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since Carrick left, firmly establishing himself as one of the best playmakers in the Championship.

The Redcar native is capable of dictating play from deep, possessing a wonderful passing range and the ability to evade the opposition press. He has also added more attacking threat to his game this season, returning six goals and eight assists as he has helped propel ‘Boro to the final of the playoffs — albeit in controversial fashion, as will be discussed shortly.

The Athletic claims Hackney is “well-liked” by figures at Old Trafford, most obviously his former manager. He is seen as a talent with “huge potential”, particularly as these types of midfield conductors rarely are the whole package by 23 — as Luka Modric or Vitinha prove.

However, United are not alone in their admiration, with Brighton, Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest all understood to be tracking Hackney.

Whether Middlesbrough emerge triumphant from the playoff final against Hull City this weekend will likely prove key to his availability, though sources suggest an exit is inevitable either way. A £30m price tag is believed to be set.

Shea Charles

Charles, 22, has developed into a well-rounded midfielder at St Mary’s, capable of operating in a number of areas of the pitch, including at fullback. This versatility will be attractive to United, given the different positions that need to be addressed in Carrick’s squad this summer.

The Northern Ireland international had already captained his country by the age of 20, and has produced strong performances for Michael O’Neill’s side against high-quality opposition in Germany and Italy. It was Jason Wilcox, United’s sporting director, who signed Charles at Southampton for £15m in July 2023, having previously worked with him during their shared time at Manchester City’s academy, where Wilcox was director.

The Athletic states the Saints midfielder is seen as a “lower-cost” option with “potential high upside” if given the room to continue development at the Theatre of Dreams. Interestingly, Southampton may be forced to sell many of their star players this summer after becoming embroiled in the ‘Spygate’ controversy, having been found guilty of spying by the EFL and kicked out of the playoffs, despite beating Middlesbrough in the semi-finals.

There has been enormous backlash, both inside and outside of the south coast club, with calls for manager Tonda Eckert to resign. If Southampton had been promoted, their negotiating position for Charles would have been strong; it has now never been weaker, with United circling in the background.

Final Thoughts

The depressing reality is that it will not be hard to upgrade Ugarte, the Unable Uruguayan, this summer, given just how poor he has been since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain for £50.7m two years ago. The only difficulty United will find is locating a willing buyer to take him off their hands permanently.

Both Hackney and Charles would be excellent additions, though the Middlesbrough maestro is a more accomplished and developed player at this stage of their respective careers. However, Charles’ physicality and versatility make him a better squad option, as well as a more complementary partner to Mainoo, who shares many attributes with Hackney.

But if Luis Enrique’s all-conquering PSG side, which was sparked to life by booting Ugarte out of the French capital in place of Portuguese starlet Joao Neves, has taught us anything, it’s you can never have too many technically gifted midfielders in your squad.

The Spanish tactician is INEOS’s dream coach to lead their revolution in M16; if the choice was left up to him between Hackney and Charles, the ‘Boro playmaker would be in a red shirt on day one of the summer window.

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Manchester United have been urged to sign Mateus Fernandes as the West Ham United maestro has a higher ceiling than the club’s other targets in midfield.

Rebuilding the Midfield

The Red Devils are prioritising an overhaul in the middle of the pitch this summer as Casemiro is set to play his final game this weekend. INEOS have decided against triggering a one-year extension in the Brazilian’s contract, while his South American successor, Manuel Ugarte, has proven incapable of ascending to the throne as the team’s anchor in midfield.

Two big-money signings are expected to replace Casemiro, while a third could arrive if a buyer can be found for Ugarte. Turkish champions Galatasaray have been strongly linked.

The leading target is Nottingham Forest talisman Elliot Anderson, who impressed with two assists in yesterday’s clash with the Tricky Trees. But competition will prove fierce for the 23-year-old England international, with Manchester City understood to be leading the race for his signature.

Crystal Palace playmaker Adam Wharton is another name high on the radar, while last summer’s pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion enforcer Carlos Baleba is expected to be revisited. Sandro Tonali was also considered, though Newcastle United’s exorbitant asking price has deterred the Italian’s suitors.

This has led to Fernandes, West Ham United’s 21-year-old box-to-box dynamo, emerging as an alternative, with the Hammers’ expected relegation giving hope of a cut-price deal being struck. Initial demands of around £85 million will drop closer to £60m if Nuno Espírito Santo’s side finish in the bottom three.

And United’s former coach, Neil Harris, believes this could prove a blessing in disguise as Fernandes has the potential to become an even better midfielder than Anderson or Tonali – even drawing a comparison to Paris Saint-Germain superstar, Vitinha.

“When I look at him, I see Vitinha”

Harris, who worked at Old Trafford for 21 years in the academy, is adamant it is right that Fernandes is “on the radar” this summer as a target because he is already operating at a “very, very high level.” Speaking to The Breakdown (as relayed by TEAMtalk), the 48-year-old showered the youngster with praise.

“I love him. If you didn’t know his age, you’d be thinking that’s a mature player. He’s the kind of player who doesn’t immediately come to the eye if you’re not watching the game, but when you watch him in detail, I think some of the things he does is very, very high level.

“I love the players who do the simple things to a high level, and he does all of them. Whether it’s receiving the ball in tight areas, no-touch turns, screens, getting his body in, and engaging contact. For a player so young at 21 years, really exciting player.”

Hailing from south Portugal, Fernandes reminds Harris of his compatriots, Bernardo Silva and Vitinha, two of the finest midfielders in world football at present.

“He’s a bit of a Bernardo Silva, isn’t he. When he first came to City, he was a particular type of player…and that is the kind of player that becomes very attractive for a sporting director.

“You look at PSG [midfield of Vitinha and Joao Neves], and that is their model: players who can receive the ball in tight areas and can play anywhere. That type of player is becoming so attractive to coaches because of that versatility”.

Harris concludes that the former Sporting CP star, who was sold to Southampton despite being highly rated by Ruben Amorim, has got potential which neither Anderson nor Wharton can match: “I think he’s got levels that maybe Anderson and Wharton haven’t got to go. When I look at him, I see Vitinha. I see him being a conductor in games with his tempo and things like that.”

Final Thoughts

Vitinha is the gold standard for midfielders, with the 26-year-old maestro on the verge of delivering back-to-back Champions Leagues for PSG. Any comparison to such a player is the biggest compliment that a footballer can be afforded.

United must move heaven and earth to secure Fernandes’ signature this summer as there will not be a better talent available on the market at his price range should West Ham United be relegated. While Anderson is a similarly impressive operator, he will cost nearly double; Wharton is a joy to watch in possession, but lacks the dynamism Fernandes pairs with his technique.

Put simply, there must be two Fernandes‘s plying their trade at Old Trafford next season.

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Manchester United travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend to face Chelsea in a season-defining showdown in the hunt for Champions League qualification. However, they will have to do so with a gaping chasm at the heart of their defence, and are still smarting from the humiliation of suffering their first loss to Leeds United at Old Trafford in 45 years.

The Red Devils had the chance to effectively wrap up a return to Europe’s elite competition against the Yorkshire side on Monday night. United are currently third, seven points clear of their London rivals, with both teams sharing the same goal difference of +12.

Victory over the club’s arch-nemesis earlier would have afforded a 10-point cushion over the Blues heading into Saturday night’s clash, with the Premier League’s coefficient ranking ensuring the race for ‘top four’ is now for ‘top five’.

Instead, they produced one of the poorest performances of the campaign and undoubtedly the worst of Michael Carrick’s caretaker tenure. Leeds blew the home side away in a frantic opening 45 minutes, establishing a 2-0 lead – a scoreline which flattered United – heading into half-time.

Bizarrely, Carrick opted against making any substitutes during the interval, sending the same unchanged XI back out for the second half, with little change in performance as a result. A red card for Lisandro Martinez in the 55th minute sparked a transformation, however, with United improving almost out of spite at a VAR decision Carrick called “one of the worst” he had seen.

This resurgence led to Casemiro pulling one back, courtesy of Bruno Fernandes’ 17th assist of a stellar individual campaign. The pair then went close to levelling proceedings late on, only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to clear the Brazil international’s header off the line.

Truthfully, Daniel Farke’s men deserved all three points, securing a pivotal 2-1 win in their push to avoid relegation in a dogfight with Nottingham Forest, West Ham and, hilariously, Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the loss cranks the pressure up on United – and Carrick, whose long-term future has been called into question by the performance – ahead of the crucial clash with Chelsea. The lingering effects of the match will also be felt this weekend, as Martinez will be ruled out alongside the experienced duo of Harry Maguire, also unavailable through suspension, and Matthijs de Ligt, who is still recovering from a long-term back injury.

This means the youthful partnership of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, yet to start a match under Carrick, are in line to start against Chelsea in a match United can ill afford to lose. However, stormy waters turned into a tsunami earlier today when it was revealed Yoro had suffered a potentially season-ending injury and had not travelled with the squad to the capital.

Carrick is left with the sole centre-back in his senior squad being his most inexperienced centre-back, forcing a major reshuffle – tactically and personnel-wise – to overcome. The Peoples Person has analysed three ideas the Wallsend native can implement to put Liam Rosenior’s side to the sword and take a massive step towards securing a return to the Champions League, even with a makeshift defence.

Fixing the Defence

The most urgent tactical switch Carrick must make is to bolster a defensive line on the verge of collapsing. Arguably, Heaven’s most impressive performance in a red shirt came earlier in the season in a back four in the 1-0 win over Newcastle under Ruben Amorim. The English starlet is a calm and collected operator, who has handled the ascension to men’s football as coolly as he dresses.

It is not a disaster, nor even a problem, for him to be starting against Chelsea; but he will need every bit of know-how in the support network around him. Luke Shaw must shift inside to play centre-back, a role he has previously thrived in, while Diogo Dalot takes his place at left-back and Noussair Mazraoui starts on the right.

The three fullbacks are seasoned veterans, with a wealth of experience at the highest level of club and international football. Their savvy approach will be needed to help guide Heaven towards an angelic performance, and neither Dalot nor Mazraoui should look to venture too far forward.

Accordingly, more onus will fall upon Matheus Cunha to stay wide and track back, as he did valiantly on Monday night to defend Leeds’ second-half counter-attacks, while Amad will offer his usual industry and inventiveness on the opposite flank.

Staying Compact in Midfield

Casemiro will be United’s most important player at Stamford Bridge, with the “mentality monster” needed to provide a bedrock of security for the side. Carrick should instruct him to drop deeper in possession to take over the responsibility of progressing the ball, which Martinez usually handles.

Similarly, Casemiro’s midfield partners must play as a tighter unit than usual. Kobbie Mainoo will hopefully be fit to form a trio alongside Bruno Fernandes in the middle, and Carrick must position them much closer together than in previous games to form a more traditional three-man midfield, with Casemiro almost playing like a third centre-back, to provide a more compact shield in front of the defence.

The calming presence of Casemiro at the base of midfield will be the most important factor in helping the disjointed defence through a difficult 90 minutes in west London. But it will also be the Brazilian behemoth’s abilities in the opposition half that provide the second part of United’s gameplan to put Chelsea to the sword.

Set Pieces are King

Set-pieces and crosses have been a source of strength for United this season, particularly the potent pairing of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes. No two players have combined for more goals in the Premier League – six – than them, with the header against Leeds a textbook example of their connection.

By contrast, Chelsea are awful at defending aerial bombardments of their box, ranking as one of the worst sides in the division for goals conceded from set-pieces. United must use this to their advantage by looking to maximise every opportunity, be it a corner, free-kick or cross, to overwhelm the Blues’ penalty area – with Casemiro one of the most deadly threats to do so.

Similarly, a choice must be made over whether to start Benjamin Sesko or Bryan Mbeumo. The emphasis on dominating aerially would lend itself to the 6’5″ Slovenian, while the fluidity of the forward line is better with Mbeumo as a false nine, giving Carrick food for thought in his hotel bed in west London.

Being Brave on the Bench

The final tactical switch Carrick must consider is one which has plagued him as far back as his time with Middlesbrough: slow substitutions. One of the biggest criticisms of his spell at the Riverside Stadium was the time it took him to make changes from the bench, despite overwhelming evidence on the pitch to do so.

United fans were privy to this on Monday night in the defeat to Leeds, with analysis from The Athletic revealing Carrick takes the longest to make subs out of any Premier League manager in charge of more than ten games this season.

This cannot be repeated against Chelsea if the Blues take an early lead. Either Mbeumo or Sesko will be joined by Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee as attackers chomping at the bit to get on the field; all three, but particularly Mount returning to his former haunt, can make a difference if given the opportunity.

There is little Carrick will be able to do with the depleted backline to mix things up, meaning a focus on attack being the best form of defence is an ethos he will have to adopt if Chelsea are on top at half-time as Leeds were earlier this week.

Key Takeaways

• Experience will be key to helping Heaven through the match at Stamford Bridge, with Casemiro needing to drop deeper than usual
• The Brazilian must also be at his threatening best from set-pieces, with Fernandes hot on the tails of the Premier League’s assist record as well
• It is essential Mainoo is fit to help bolster a midfield that was horribly exposed in his absence against Leeds
• Carrick has to turn to the bench far earlier than he did on Monday night if the chips are stacked against United early in the game

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How do we keep finding ourselves in this position, no matter what changes at our club? I’m talking, of course, about the summer transfer window. Every time summer is even close to rolling around, the importance of it is never understated. And yet, it’s always true.

This summer, just as in many summers before, is such an important one to get right. But we’ve heard that before, too many times. The problem is that every year we keep hearing it. It’s not the way an adequately run football club should operate – constantly on the back foot and reacting to desperate needs.

It’s hardly operating from a position of power, now is it? And that leads to either extortionate fees (whether in wages or transfer fees) or unrealistic expectations on whoever it is that’s coming in.

This time around, the importance is to do with the Champions League. Manchester United simply must be in it. But we don’t want to get spanked every matchday, so we obviously need to invest.

Invest in better players or better profiles – God knows, just whatever gets us to stop experiencing the same turgidness we saw in the first half against Leeds United on Monday night.

Now there are six games left in the season, we’re seven points away from being at risk of dropping out of the top five spots, and we have Chelsea to play next. If they win, that gap closes to four points, and suddenly it’s squeaky bum time.

But back to the summer transfer window

United invested quite well last year; the trouble is, the winds are changing at the club and we’re in a position where several positions need reinvigorating or adequate back-up.

Goalkeeping is probably sorted, but we are playing with fire should Senne Lammens ever get injured. Luke Shaw is hardly the marauding left-back we need him to be anymore, and even if Patrick Dorgu is made to play there, back-up is needed.

Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot seem decent options at right-back until matchday comes around, and then you remember we might be the only club in Europe without a right-back who can attack. We’re arguably well stocked in the centre-back positions, but two of them are injury-prone (Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt), two are probably too young for key roles (Lenny Yoro and Ayden Heaven), and Harry Maguire has only added a year to his deal.

I can probably gloss over our midfield, as everyone knows the horror show that it is, especially with Casemiro leaving. We need to somehow replace his goals, defensive qualities, and leadership, all while finding the right profiles to play with Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes without shipping in goals every week.

Matheus Cunha isn’t a natural width-holding left-winger, so either we tweak his role or we’ll need someone else (or a back-up to Dorgu, who was playing excellently there before his injury).

Bruno needs a deputy, and Benjamin Sesko too, if Joshua Zirkzee does indeed leave. Right-wing is probably our only well-stocked position with Bryan Mbeumo and Amad, though neither will be satisfied with a bench role for too long.

Whether Michael Carrick stays or not, the whole point of a Director of Football is to get the dynamics and profiles of the squad right without feeling like every transfer window is the biggest one yet. Changing formations and, consequently, the squad’s needs has not been a good look in that respect.

I’m sparing a prayer for Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada

God knows I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy – not even on Football Manager. Just imagine if we somehow miss out on Champions League football; scary to even think about.

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Sharpe was speaking to The Peoples Person courtesy of football betting site BetWright and was asked whether he believes Amad is doing enough at the moment to justify his place in the first team.

Safety First

“His work rate’s exceptional,” Sharpe replied. “He tracks back and helps out defensively. But at times against Leeds I would have liked to have seen him go at the fullback a little bit more and take a few more risks.”

“At times there’s a little bit of safety in his game. Maybe the atmosphere in the way the team were playing, maybe that made him second guess himself because he’s not been in the team. Maybe he was playing a little bit safer. But I’d like to see him take more risks and go at the full-back because early on he gave the full-back a few problems, but just seemed to play a little bit safer at times.”

We asked the former England man whether he believes successive managers at Old Trafford might have trained the Ivorian to be more cautious as he has matured.

Taking his space

“Managers tell players to pick and choose the time when they do and don’t go and to not take risks. I also think a few times when I was watching [the Leeds game], people were running into his space,” he said.

“I saw Bruno running there. A few of the midfielders try and run ahead of him and take his space and sometimes it needs the midfielders and forwards to be a little bit more disciplined and stay out of that space and give him room to go and run and take on the defender.”

“So it’s not all on Amad’s shoulders, but I certainly think at times he is a little bit too keen to go sideways or backwards when he could get a head of steam up and have a go. He’s got the ability to go past people, score, create and draw free kicks around the box.”

We drew a comparison with Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, who had attacked his full-back relentlessly in the recent 3-0 defeat of Chelsea and eventually reaped the rewards.

“With wingers it can be frustrating because you do need them to keep going and keep going because you know at some point the defender’s going to make a mistake, the defender’s going to get himself out of position, it’s going to be a ricochet, you’re going to win a free kick around the edge of the box, you’re going to get a cross in, you’re going to get a shot off that’s going to rebound and drop to one of your players,” Sharpe said. “So it can be frustrating because it doesn’t work every time.”

“City used to be a lot more of a passing team and now they seem to be allowing players to run with the ball and create one on one situations and try and beat teams that way. They are going back to old fashioned football and we need to see more of that from our wingers.”

Part one of our exclusive interview with Lee Sharpe is available here.

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Speaking exclusively to The Peoples Person courtesy of football betting site BetWright, Sharpe said the Red Devils missed key players, but the real issue in the 2-1 defeat was the mental approach to the game.

“I think they missed Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo,” Sharpe said. “I was surprised he left Mbeumo out because I think he’s been doing pretty well and he’s an outlet with his pace up front and scoring goals.”

“I just don’t think they were at it. They didn’t pass it well enough. They didn’t play quick enough. I don’t think the long break between games is doing them any favours. No, but at Old Trafford, you’ve got to be prepared, you’ve got to be ready and you’ve got to start on the front foot. And they just didn’t get going at all until the sending off, really.”

We asked whether the extended break was reason enough to explain the lack of intensity.

“It’s not an excuse,” he insisted. “I’m just trying to think of reasons why you would come out at Old Trafford and be so flat and start so slowly and allow Leeds to take the impetus into the game.”

“Really there’s no reason for it at all, they should be excited after having a break, they should be full of energy, busting a gut, ready to explode out on the pitch and it didn’t seem to happen.”

Is the Carrick revolution starting to unravel?

“I don’t know about unravel,” the former England man mused. “We do have to realise that we need some players. I think that was the case under Amorim. I think the formation was a question mark over Amorim’s tenure. But there’s no doubt we need strength in depth and we need some better players.”

Who did Sharpe think were the weak links?

“I think Ugarte struggled,” he said. “Yoro was a bit of an issue. But then you’ve got Martinez that’s coming back after a long term injury that’s not probably up to speed and ready for a start, which can then put Yoro a little bit unsettled after having such a settled centre-half in Harry Maguire.”

“Next to an experienced player that’s playing really well, you’ve got someone that’s had a long time out and he’s not quite up to the pace of the game. I think that showed last night.”

“Plus I think Calvert-Lewin is an exceptional player on his day and I think he gave Yoro all sorts of problems. So let’s not take away from, from Calvert-Lewin. I think he’s top drawer on his day.”

“Decisions have to be made and Martinez had to come in. He needs minutes on the pitch. But, in these situations you usually get time to bring someone on for half an hour at the end of the game, then play them for an hour.”

Why did Carrick not trust Ayden Heaven?

“I’m just guessing that two young centre-halves he maybe thought [had] a lack of experience between the two of them. He put a bit of experience in there and it didn’t quite work out,” Sharpe explained.

Part two of our exclusive interview with Lee Sharpe will be published tomorrow on thepeoplesperson.com.

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

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