Ed Woodward told MUTV in July 2015 that seeing Bastian Schweinsteiger on the team sheet would intimidate opponents. However, the former Manchester United executive vice-chairman’s confident forecast did not come true, as Louis van Gaal’s World Cup-winning midfield recruit endured a frustrating spell at the club.
Schweinsteiger left for Chicago Fire two years later after making only 35 appearances and scoring twice for United. José Mourinho, who replaced Van Gaal, had even instructed him to train with the younger players for a period. His experience reflects the broader failure of United’s midfield recruitment over much of the past generation. The club hopes this pattern has finally been broken following the summer signings of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m and Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48m plus £2m in potential bonuses. Manager Michael Carrick is also nearing a deal for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba worth approximately £70m.
United’s last truly elite midfield acquisition who arrived before reaching his prime and then delivered consistently for years was Carrick himself, signed from Tottenham for £18m in 2006. That long gap represents a remarkable failure for a club whose midfield history includes Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Paul Ince, Bryan Robson and Nobby Stiles, among several other outstanding performers.
Paul Pogba, brought back by Mourinho for a club-record £93.2m a decade after Carrick’s arrival, arguably possessed the greatest potential of United’s subsequent midfield signings. Yet the French international rarely produced reliable performances from one match to the next. Casemiro joined from Real Madrid in 2022 with five Champions League titles to his name, but he was already 30 and past his peak. Of his four seasons at United before leaving Old Trafford in May, only his first and final campaigns could be considered consistently impressive.
Most of the other midfielders signed by United since Carrick have delivered no more than average results. Fred, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera, Sofyan Amrabat, Daley Blind and Manuel Ugarte are among those who struggled to make a lasting impact. The notable exception is academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo. Despite scoring the decisive goal against Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final and starting England’s 2-1 European Championship final defeat by Spain that summer, the youngster was pushed aside by Ruben Amorim. Carrick’s appointment in mid-January, following the Portuguese coach’s dismissal, revived Mainoo’s United career.
As the new season begins, Carrick’s attempt to repair United’s long-standing midfield problems now centres on Baleba. Should the 22-year-old complete his move, he would join Santos, another defensive midfielder, and Tielemans, a more advanced central player expected to compete with Mainoo. Together, they would provide energy, technique, physicality and experience. Mason Mount has also emerged as a credible midfield choice during pre-season. The 27-year-old performed effectively in an attacking role before suffering another injury in the draw with Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
Although Mount’s latest problem represents another interruption, Carrick has played down doubts about the midfielder’s durability. “First of all, Mason is an excellent player, and he showed in the opening matches that he was among our strongest performers,” the manager said. “He played extremely well before picking up a minor knock, but it is nothing serious. He has missed a fair amount of football in recent seasons and is determined to regain full fitness and rhythm. We will support him through that process, and he should return soon.”
United visit Hull on Saturday and welcome Ipswich the following Sunday. Beginning Carrick’s first complete season in charge against two newly promoted clubs appears favourable, although he dismissed suggestions of an easy opening as “ridiculous”. With a trip to Everton in the third round of fixtures before Manchester City travel to Old Trafford on 13 September, United nevertheless have an excellent opportunity to establish themselves as possible title challengers.
Carrick did an impressive job restoring stability after the disorder surrounding Amorim’s exit, eventually guiding United to third place last season. When he assumed control, however, the club had already been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions and had no European commitments. He therefore had only 17 matches to manage as caretaker. Carrick now faces a complete schedule spanning the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup, providing a much sterner examination of both his squad and his own abilities.
A squad with sufficient strength and depth is gradually taking shape. If Baleba arrives alongside a left-back before 1 September, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly still under consideration, Carrick will have received four significant additions. Concerns remain about the quality and reliability of the central defenders, but the manager will ultimately be expected to deliver results with the resources available.
Discussing the uncertainty surrounding Hull, Carrick said: “That is part of what makes a new season exciting. Promoted clubs often undergo several changes, so preparing to face them presents a particular challenge, and we understand that completely. We have worked extensively on both the mental and physical aspects of our game.” His final point is especially relevant to the major reconstruction of United’s midfield. The first indication of whether those changes have succeeded will come at 12.30pm on Saturday at the MKM Stadium.
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