Old Trafford chiefs have less than a fortnight remaining to finalise their recruitment ahead of the closure of the current market on September 1. The managerial team led by Michael Carrick has already invested £85million, bringing in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to bolster the centre of the park.
Karl Darlow arrived at no cost to serve as cover for Senne Lammens between the posts. Meanwhile, Rasmus Hojlund, Casemiro, Radek Vitek and Tyler Fredericson have all permanently left the club. Altay Bayindir has departed on a temporary basis, linking up with Celta Vigo for the campaign.
The red half of Manchester will be hoping that Carrick has further recruitment plans up his sleeve for the squad currently at his disposal.
Four crucial areas demand attention before the deadline arrives.
Reinforcing pivotal roles
Several positions require strengthening, particularly in midfield and at full-back. Luke Shaw stands as the only experienced option at left-back, which could prove problematic given the busy schedule approaching. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall emerged as the preferred choice but a move for the Magpies player now seems increasingly improbable.
Alternative candidates available include Myles Lewis-Skelly, Antonee Robinson and Joaquin Seys. Club Brugge are seeking approximately £30million for Seys, making him a cost-effective option to provide depth behind Shaw.
While Tielemans and Santos address the midfield requirements, it appears likely that at least one additional player will be needed in that department. The club are monitoring Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton closely, with Carrick viewing the 22-year-old as an important acquisition.
Palace rate Wharton at roughly £85million and regard him as a highly-regarded Premier League performer. Securing both Seys and Wharton would significantly strengthen the squad’s prospects for the upcoming season.
Resolving Marcus Rashford’s situation
One significant issue requiring resolution involves Rashford’s immediate future. The seasoned attacker spent the previous campaign on loan at Barcelona after falling out of favour under former manager Ruben Amorim.
The England international has reported back for pre-season training at Old Trafford but uncertainty persists over his role this term. Rashford expressed desire to return to Spain, though Barcelona declined to trigger his release clause because of salary expectations.
For the time being at least, he appears set to begin the new Premier League season at Old Trafford. However, that situation could change by the window’s closure.
Should Rashford remain, Carrick can structure his attacking options accordingly. Should he depart, the club might opt to sign a replacement forward. Whatever the outcome, this situation requires resolution promptly.
Recruiting a secondary striker
Joshua Zirkzee has been strongly linked with a switch to Juventus throughout the summer. This would leave Benjamin Sesko lacking a dedicated backup forward for the forthcoming season.
Although Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have operated in the central striking role, Carrick would probably welcome another recognised number nine. Bamba Dieng could represent an option after enjoying his most productive goalscoring campaign with Lorient.
The Senegal international, 26 years old, found the net 15 times last term and has drawn interest from certain Championship clubs. Nevertheless, Carrick might prefer to bring the forward to Old Trafford to offer Sesko competition.
Facilitating departures for squad players
The club intends to move on several players this summer, either through temporary or permanent arrangements. Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho both departed upon contract expiry, while 21-year-old Tyler Fredericson moved to Lausanne-Sport and Bayindir linked up with Celta Vigo on loan.
Harry Amass is drawing attention from clubs including West Ham and Norwich City, with Zirkzee potentially set for Italy. Academy graduates Toby Collyer, Dan Gore and Chido Obi are all anticipated to pursue loan arrangements alongside Jacob Devaney, who impressed during his stint at St Mirren last year.