Michael Carrick urges Manchester United to push for more signings to boost title bid

LONDON – Michael Carrick has urged Manchester United to splash the cash to keep pace with their Premier League title rivals.

United have spent around £85 million (S$146.8 million) on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow since the end of last season.

But that outlay pales in comparison to some of United’s fellow title contenders, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea all paying huge fees for high-profile signings.

Carrick knows United need more quality and depth if they are to challenge for a first English title since 2013, while also competing in the Champions League.

Remarkably, United have never spent more than £89.5 million on a single player – the fee paid for Paul Pogba in 2016.

Ahead of his first season as permanent United boss after a successful interim spell last term, the 45-year-old Englishman called on the club’s hierarchy to push for more new recruits.

“I think we’ve done really good business and we’ve got really some top, top, top players,” he told reporters on Aug 13.

“We’re delighted with that. We always want to improve. We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that. That never stops.”

Carrick led United to a third-place finish in last season’s EPL after replacing the sacked Ruben Amorim in January.

But with United so far spending less than promoted sides Coventry and Ipswich, some fans are becoming restless as their season opener at Hull City on Aug 22 looms into view.

“Money’s money, I get that. It’s still about the football, and that’s where the competition lies,” Carrick said.

“Certainly the situation is what it is as well, whether that’s finances or whatever. For now, we’ve got to make the most of it, but we’ve got to keep pushing and push everything and every boundary that we can to be able to win again.”

Asked why United were not spending on the level of other clubs, Carrick added: “To be honest, I haven’t got the answers for that. We’re working with pushing everything that we can to make the best of it.”

Marcus Rashford is back at United after returning from the World Cup, having spent last season on loan at Barcelona.

The La Liga champions declined their option to buy the 28-year-old England forward and questions remain over his United future.

“He’s our player, and he’s a good player and he gives us something a little bit different in the group,” he said.

“Marcus can offer us so much. He has done, and he can do again, so in that respect it’s quite exciting.”

Several United players have backed the team to dethrone Arsenal as champions and the understated Carrick wouldn’t rule out a title push.

“We’ve definitely got the potential to achieve something really special,” he said.

“I’m not hiding from the fact, and we should aim to do that, but I can’t give you a definite answer on that.

“It’s certainly what we’re pushing to do because we have to, because that’s the club we are.”

Meanwhile, Tielemans has apologised to Aston Villa after admitting he joined United because they are a bigger club than his former team.

The Belgium midfielder made a £35 million move to Old Trafford in July when United triggered a release clause in his Villa contract.

The 29-year-old helped Villa end their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League last season.

But he had no qualms about joining United, who finished one spot above fourth-placed Villa in last season’s EPL.

“There are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them,” Tielemans said.

Few would deny United have a far greater global profile than Emery’s men, but Villa supporters were upset by his suggestion that their club are smaller than the 20-time English champions.

Tielemans, who joined Villa from Leicester in 2023, took to social media to make peace with his old club.

“Never meant for my words in the press yesterday to offend anyone or the institution of Aston Villa Football Club, which I massively respect and I’m grateful for the past 3 years,” he wrote on Instagram on Aug 13.

“I must however admit my mistake and apologise for my choice of words, will be more careful in the future.

“Wishing the club the best in the future.” AFP