Manchester United opened their preseason with a tense 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Leeds United in front of a sold-out Croke Park crowd in Dublin on Wednesday. The match finished level after 90 minutes, but there was still plenty for United to assess, from individual sharpness to a few familiar concerns.

Bryan Mbeumo was the most dangerous player on the pitch and set the tone for the hosts’ goal. After beating his marker in transition, he lifted his head and delivered the final ball for Zirkzee, who finished from close range. Leeds pulled level in the 29th minute when Brenden Aaronson punished a mistake from Tyler Fletcher in midfield, and neither side found another breakthrough before penalties.

Zirkzee’s night was mixed. He scored his second goal of the summer, but he also passed up chances earlier in the match and never fully matched Mbeumo’s influence. The Dutchman has now scored nine goals in 75 appearances since arriving from Bologna, and his uneven showing against Leeds did little to settle the debate over his place in Carrick’s squad. He was withdrawn just after the hour mark.

There was also encouragement for Harry Amass, who made his first preseason start after a string of promising outings. The 19-year-old was neat in possession, showed composure on the touchline, and made sensible choices about when to advance and when to stay back. His one major lapse came after Fletcher’s giveaway, but he recovered well as the game went on.

Senne Lammens made his first appearance of the summer after being handed the No. 1 shirt, producing three saves in 61 minutes and conceding once from a chance he could hardly have stopped. Matheus Cunha also returned, coming on in the 61st minute after his Brazil involvement and recent illness.

Manchester United and Chelsea have both reportedly declined the chance to sign Arsenal left back Myles Lewis-Skelly, leaving the teenager’s situation in north London looking increasingly uncertain.

Lewis-Skelly has already shown enough to attract attention. He started the Champions League final, but the match ended in heartbreak for the newly crowned English champions. Even so, Arsenal’s long-term picture still appears positive, though perhaps less so for the 19-year-old.

Recent reports said Arsenal placed a $60.8 million (£45 million) valuation on the England international and made him available to United and Chelsea. According to The Telegraph, both clubs quickly turned down the opportunity. There is also a “strong feeling” the defender has been offered to other clubs as Arsenal continue to move their homegrown talent, with any departure producing pure profit.

Chelsea’s refusal is understandable given their recent business. Marc Cucurella has left the starting left-back role this summer, but the club have already secured Pep Chavarría as his replacement. The former Rayo Vallecano player signed a five-year deal on Wednesday and joined Xabi Alonso’s project for a fee of around $28.8 million. Chelsea have now spent more than $400 million this summer, bringing in Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and Geovany Quenda, among others.

United remain less active in the market, though they are still looking for a left back and a third midfielder after already signing Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. Lewis-Skelly could have covered both positions, but the club seem to be waiting on Newcastle United left back Lewis Hall instead. They have also been linked with Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, who can operate in midfield and at left back.

Lewis-Skelly’s breakout 2024-25 season was followed by a reduced role last term. Mikel Arteta preferred Piero Hincapié at left back, while Riccardo Calafiori also took minutes in that area. That pushed the teenager into midfield, where he even kept Martín Zubimendi on the bench for the Champions League final and started alongside Declan Rice.

Mason Mount’s latest injury issue has served as a sharp reminder that Manchester United are still not fully equipped in central midfield.

Since arriving from Chelsea in 2023, Mount has already missed 70 competitive United matches through injury. Much of that time has been lost to calf and hamstring problems, while his newest setback, according to BBC Sport, will keep him out of United’s latest preseason friendly against Leeds United. The problem stems from an awkward kick he took against Paris Saint-Germain last Saturday.

Carrick had initially described Mount’s substitution as precautionary, but the fact he has not trained before the Leeds fixture reinforces the need for United to keep moving in the summer market. Central midfield has clearly been a priority, and the suggested additions of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos would add technical quality, work rate and some of the attributes lost with Casemiro’s departure. Tielemans is not a natural holding midfielder, yet he can dictate from deep with his passing range. Santos brings more athleticism, carries the ball between the lines and can surge forward himself.

Even so, United still look short of a midfield disruptor, someone who can add bite alongside those options and the current pool of Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and, once fit, Manuel Ugarte.

Mount has shown enough in preseason to suggest he can still help, especially with Fernandes and Mainoo having extra time off after the World Cup, allowing him to operate in a deeper Tielemans-style role. But his wider record is difficult to ignore. He has now been sidelined on 10 separate occasions in three years at Old Trafford, which makes reliability a concern.

With United back in the Champions League, rotation and careful management of minutes will be required. Tyler Fletcher and Shea Lacey are emerging, but Carrick will still want experience to steady the first months of 2026-27. At minimum, United need a more complete midfielder, one with greater tackling power and game reading than Mount.

Among the names linked are Aurélien Tchouaméni, Manu Koné, Tyler Adams and Sander Berge. Yet Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba may be the return to an old target that United are most encouraged by, especially after his valuation eased from $133 million (£100 million) following an indifferent season.