Man Utd
Manchester United’s Top 25: A Measured Retrospective
A compact appraisal of Manchester United’s top 25 players, from Busby Babes to modern icons. Ranked.
“This is Manchester United Football Club we’re talking about here.” That assertion underpins any attempt to condense a century of glory and tragedy into a ranked list. The club’s history contains icons, leaders and match-winners whose contributions are vivid and varied.
David de Gea enjoyed a peak period that placed him among the world’s best goalkeepers, his 2017–18 apex widely celebrated. He made over 400 league appearances, left as a free agent and was named the club’s Players’ Player of the Year four times, with five PFA Team of the Year inclusions.
Mark Hughes emerged from United’s academy to score on major occasions, lifting two Premier League titles and playing a starring role in the 1990–91 Cup Winners’ Cup final. Steve Bruce provided leadership and key late goals during the 1992–93 title run-in, delivering memorable moments in ‘Fergie time’.
Bill Foulkes, a Munich survivor, represented United 688 times and helped drive the club through its darkest era, scoring at the Bernabéu to aid the run to the 1968 European Cup final. Roger Byrne and Duncan Edwards remain poignant figures from the Busby Babes era, their impact cut short by Munich.
Edwin van der Sar arrived after a difficult spell in Italy, rebuilt his reputation at Fulham and gave United the reliable presence required to win eight major honours, including four league titles and the 2008 Champions League.
The Vidic-Ferdinand pairing became the template of Premier League central defence, while Ruud van Nistelrooy’s 150 goals in 219 games underline his lethal early seasons at Old Trafford. Denis Irwin and Gary Neville supplied longevity and consistency across decades.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s rise from a Sporting prospect to a Ballon d’Or winner in 2008 helped deliver Champions League and domestic trebles. David Beckham’s technique and assists led the league charts three times before his 2003 move to Real Madrid.
Peter Schmeichel, hailed as the “bargain of the century,” anchored a side that claimed five league titles and the 1999 Champions League. Roy Keane and Bryan Robson embodied midfield leadership, Keane captaining from 1997 to nine major honours, Robson revered as “Captain Marvel.”
Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Eric Cantona each shaped eras in distinct ways; Giggs’s 24-year one-club career yielded 26 major honours, while Scholes drew praise as the “best midfielder of his generation.” The list also recalls Tommy Taylor, Denis Law and George Best for their match-winning qualities and lasting legacies.
Barcelona
Rashford’s Return to United Remains Possible but Unlikely After Carrick Comment
Carrick would welcome Rashford back if appointed permanent manager, but the forward seems settled. .
Michael Carrick has told those around him he would like Marcus Rashford back at Manchester United if he is appointed permanent manager, a development that has complicated an already tangled transfer picture.
Reports indicate Barcelona are leaning towards triggering a purchase option they hold on the 28-year-old, but The Telegraph says Carrick would explore a reunion with the England international if he is allowed to stay at Old Trafford beyond the summer. The final call, however, will belong to Rashford. If he does not want to stay with Barcelona, he simply will not.
Rashford left United after 426 appearances following a breakdown in his relationship with the club. The need for a fresh start contributed to his exit and United were willing to move on from a player who perhaps blew hot-and-cold one too many times. That context, plus the fact that Amorim drove United’s efforts to offload him, makes a comeback complicated. Amorim was relieved of his duties, and the change in coaching staff has reopened the possibility in principle, though the reunion feels unlikely in practice.
“Of course what I want is to stay at Barça,” Rashford told SPORT in December, two weeks before Amorim was relieved of his duties. We have not heard from Rashford since.
Barcelona secured Rashford in the summer for an affordable fee of €30 million, a deal that exploited United’s position at the time. The forward has justified that outlay with a major impact on Hansi Flick’s side this season. Even so, Barcelona appear to believe United’s negotiating weakness, largely linked to Rashford’s large wages, leaves room to seek an additional discount.
Ultimately the situation reduces to a few simple truths: Barcelona have the first option, United’s stance during last summer leaves them with limited leverage, and Rashford’s preference will decide whether any reunion is pursued. For now, Carrick’s preference is clear, but Rashford’s commitment to Barcelona appears to make a return improbable.
Man Utd
From Crisis to Contention: Can Carrick Guide United to an Unlikely Title?
Carrick’s brief spell has closed United’s gap and reignited belief; 15 league games remain in 2026.
Manchester United’s commercial backdrop is stark: the club remains partnered with adidas until at least 2035 after last year’s renewal for another decade and £900 million. The brand’s slogan ‘Impossible is Nothing’ feels unusually apt if United were to complete a dramatic turnaround and finish 2025–26 as Premier League champions.
The context is clear. Michael Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim as interim head coach and faced two of the toughest early tests possible in Manchester City (H) and Arsenal (A). The previous caretaker, Darren Fletcher, had not produced an immediate lift in league form, drawing his Premier League debut with Burnley and losing to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup. Amorim’s tenure had not delivered sustained momentum either.
Carrick has not radically overhauled tactics. Instead he has narrowed the instructions, leaning into a simple, fast, direct approach that emphasises width and the club’s traditional ‘DNA’. That focus restored belief and produced consecutive wins over Manchester City and Arsenal, results that suggest United can now compete with anyone in the division.
The immediate challenge is consistency. Carrick has already matched Amorim’s first-time achievement of back-to-back league wins, and the points gap to leaders Arsenal has fallen from 17 to 12 in under two weeks. With 15 league fixtures remaining and no other competitions to split attention, there is a practical opportunity to close that deficit.
Historical perspective underlines the possibility. The Premier League record comeback is 13 points; United have erased 12-point gaps twice before in 1992–93 and 1995–96. Recent examples also show radical seasonal turnarounds are feasible.
A specific squad development has helped: Patrick Dorgu, signed from Lecce, has been important to Carrick’s approach. The Denmark international operated further forward toward the end of the Amorim era and contributed decisive goals in the victories over Manchester City and Arsenal, offering the width and directness Carrick demands. The Gareth Bale comparisons in style and impact are noted in that light.
What remains is the longer test: repeating those performances across the remaining schedule and converting renewed belief into sustained form.
Fixtures remaining (selected):
Feb. 1, 2026 Man Utd vs. Fulham
Feb. 7, 2026 Man Utd vs. Tottenham
Feb. 23, 2026 Everton vs. Man Utd
March 4, 2026 Newcastle vs. Man Utd
May 2, 2026 Man Utd vs. Liverpool
May 24, 2026 Brighton vs. Man Utd
Man Utd
Onana linked with Inter after reported “talks” as United appear set to move on
Onana has not played since the Grimsby Cup defeat; reported “talks” link him with Inter, this summer.
André Onana is the subject of reported “talks” with Inter as the goalkeeper faces a likely exit from Manchester United in the coming summer window. He has not played for United since the shock Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town in August, by which point he had already lost the Premier League starting position to Altay Bayındır.
A loan spell at Trabzonspor followed soon after Senne Lammens arrived at Old Trafford on Deadline Day. Lammens was signed from Royal Antwerp for around £18.2 million and, at 23, has established himself as the club’s No. 1 with steady performances after a period of inconsistency. United had paid £47.2 million to sign Onana from Inter in the summer of 2023, a fee intended to underpin a tactical shift under then manager Erik ten Hag.
For Onana, the choice of destination could include a return to Italy. He enjoyed a standout season with Inter that culminated in a Champions League final appearance and a 23rd-place finish in the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Recent reports that Mike Maignan has agreed a new contract with AC Milan remove one possible option, while Napoli have struggled with injuries to Alex Meret and Juventus may be looking to upgrade on Michele Di Gregorio. Links involving Roma’s Mile Svilar with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been suggested as the sort of movement that can open doors elsewhere.
Other destinations mentioned in the wider market appear less likely, with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain described as low-probability moves. Interest from the Premier League remains a possibility, with Aston Villa and Newcastle United cited as among the clubs most likely to seek a new goalkeeper.
Onana’s time at United included world-class saves and recognition in the form of three Premier League Save of the Month awards, balanced by high-profile errors. The report that multiple “potential deals” are being discussed suggests he will have options and that a return to Manchester beyond the summer is improbable.
