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Fernandes: Carrick’s Formation and Personnel Changes Have Turned United’s Season

Fernandes credits Carrick’s formation and personnel tweaks for United’s revival and his No.10 role….

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Bruno Fernandes has credited a tactical reset under Michael Carrick for Manchester United’s recent revival, insisting modest changes to formation and player roles have produced tangible results.

“It wasn’t the historically poor season the Portuguese had overseen in 2024–25, but consistency was still proving elusive and United had only won eight of 20 league matches. In contrast, Carrick has won seven of his first 10 and the Red Devils have climbed to third, with a buffer back to fifth and sixth.” Fernandes pointed to the coach’s adjustments as decisive. “He changed some players, the positions of some players, you try different formations and at the end of the day you start scoring goals,” he told Men in Blazers.

Ruben Amorim had persisted with a 3-4-1-2 that placed Fernandes in a deeper central midfield role. Carrick reverted to a 4-2-3-1 that better suits the squad, reinstating Kobbie Mainoo, who hadn’t started a Premier League match in the first half of the season, and returning Fernandes to the No. 10 position.

The move has boosted Fernandes’s creativity and end product. He has 16 assists this season and sits on a run that could challenge the Premier League single-season assist mark of 20. “In terms of creating chances we were near the top when Ruben was here but we were not finishing that and then we were probably one of the best teams at not allowing teams in our box but when we did we would concede more goals,” Fernandes added.

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Carrick’s tenure has brought greater defensive solidity and an ability to grind out narrow wins. “We started to be more compact when we have to defend and understand we have moments when we have to suffer when we’re not in an excellent moment, let’s say,” Fernandes said.

Former United goalkeeper David de Gea, who was in England with Fiorentina for the quarterfinal first leg of the UEFA Conference League against Crystal Palace—La Viola lost 3–0 in south London—offered praise for Carrick. “He’s doing unbelievable,” De Gea told TNT Sports. “He’s a great guy … he knows how the players feel, so it’s easy to talk with him.

“He’s doing an amazing job, United is winning a lot of games now. They’re playing well and hopefully they can get the Champions League spot, and keep growing. Let’s see United again in the high positions and fighting for trophies.”

Speculation over Fernandes’s future has cooled. He was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia last summer and appeared prepared to leave if the club wished. His contract, signed in 2024, runs to the end of next season with an option for a further 12 months that would extend it toward 2028. Fernandes was also asked during his Men in Blazers appearance about living in Manchester, having been settled in the north west of England longer than anywhere else in his pro career to date.

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Man Utd

Man Utd Target Crysencio Summerville as Left‑Wing Options Are Weighed

Man Utd assess Crysencio Summerville as one of several left-wing options, West Ham face sales. soon.

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Manchester United are “paying serious attention” to West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville as part of their search for a left-sided wide player this summer. Sources suggest the club view Summerville as one of several candidates while evaluating alternatives and squad options.

Summerville, 24, drew fresh interest after an impressive World Cup showing against Japan in which he scored and offered a combative display off the ball. The Athletic reports Manchester United have “enquired” about his situation. At an estimated $67.1 million (£50 million) he sits at the lower end of the price range compared with other reported targets.

Other names United have considered include Yan Diomande, Iliman Ndiaye, Morgan Rogers and Bradley Barcola. Leipzig are likely to demand about $116 million (€100 million, £86.5 million) for Diomande, a figure that would place him well above Summerville and potentially push any move beyond the immediate window. Barcola has been linked amid reports of frustration over his minutes at Paris Saint-Germain.

Domestically, reintegrating Marcus Rashford remains a discussed option within the club, although it may be regarded as a last resort. Michael Carrick has not ruled out that path while also acknowledging the desire to add a new wide player.

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Summerville’s form last season included a run of four successive Premier League goals in January after an indifferent start to 2025–26, but a minor injury in March interrupted his momentum and reduced his influence in the closing weeks.

West Ham paid roughly half of the reported United valuation to sign Summerville from Leeds United in 2024. Relegation has increased the likelihood of interest in the club’s top performers, a list that also contains midfield target Mateus Fernandes and attacker Jarrod Bowen.

Daniel Křetínský, the incoming principal shareholder at West Ham, has insisted the club will not sell for financial reasons. “We have a very credible strategy,” Křetínský told The Times. “We don’t need to sell the players for financial reasons. We are doing this to make sure we are promoted back to the Premier League immediately. That is our only goal.”

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Barcelona

Rashford’s Options After Barcelona Decline: Return, Sell or Stall

Barcelona declined to trigger Marcus Rashford’s purchase clause; he returns to Manchester United 2026

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Barcelona have opted not to trigger the purchase clause for Marcus Rashford, making the temporary move effectively over and leaving the forward to return to Manchester United once his World Cup duties with England finish. The decision on June 16 closes one chapter but opens several possible outcomes for the 28-year-old.

Rashford enjoyed a productive season at Barcelona, making 49 appearances and recording 14 goals and 14 assists. He impressed primarily on the left wing while also filling in on the right and as a central striker, his versatility a feature that first attracted interest.

Early in the campaign a permanent deal for around €30 million seemed straightforward, but the narrative shifted. Barcelona’s subsequent €70 million signing of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United demonstrated the club had transfer funds available. Reports suggest the real sticking point was amortization and the financial impact spread over contract years, with Gordon viewed as having a more favourable effect on the club’s accounts partly because he is three years younger than Rashford. Inside Camp Nou the view is that Gordon’s defensive work rate better suits Hansi Flick’s tactical demands.

Despite choosing Gordon, Barcelona remain open to Rashford if circumstances change. They reportedly tried to negotiate a lower fee with United and were prepared to agree terms for a reduced price, but Manchester United declined further discounts and gave an unenthusiastic response to suggestions of a second loan. Barcelona’s stance is that Rashford is welcome back, but not at the club’s current valuation.

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Reports indicate Rashford would welcome a return to Barcelona, yet his fate hinges on United lowering their demands. La Liga sources believe Barcelona are counting on Rashford refusing other offers to force United into a choice: pay his reported weekly wages of around $435,000 or reopen talks.

Rashford’s exit from United originally occurred under former manager Ruben Amorim. The environment at Old Trafford has since changed, with Michael Carrick now in the dugout permanently. A return to Manchester to rebuild has been floated and remains possible, likely driven by necessity rather than preference.

Other clubs linked in speculation include Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. According to The Athletic, United have a clause making Rashford available for $54 million (£40 million) this summer to all suitors except Liverpool and Manchester City. The player reportedly prefers not to remain in England with another Premier League club if it is not with Manchester United.

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AC Milan

Amorim to Milan: What the Move Means for Manchester United’s Preseason

Amorim’s move to AC Milan reduces United’s compensation and focuses attention on Aug. 15 friendly. .

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Reports that Ruben Amorim is negotiating to become AC Milan manager change more than compensation figures for Manchester United. Amorim’s time out of work is not expected to drag on, with Saturday coverage identifying him as the preferred candidate to take over at AC Milan this summer. As noted by The Telegraph, an anticipated agreement with Milan will spare United from paying the full share of their compensation to the Portuguese tactician.

United finalised their preseason schedule earlier this month, electing to stay in Europe for the first time in 24 years to help players respond to a summer full of World Cup action across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Opponents listed for the Red Devils’ preparations include Wrexham (July 18, Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland), Rosenborg (July 24, Lerkendal Stadion, Trondheim, Norway), Atlético Madrid (Aug. 1, Strawberry Arena, Stockholm, Sweden), Paris Saint-Germain (Aug. 8, Ullevi Stadium, Gothenberg, Sweden) and Leeds United (Aug. 12, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Republic of Ireland).

United will round out their preparations with a friendly against AC Milan. United and Milan will lock horns at Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław, Poland, on Aug. 15, and all the signs suggest it will be Amorim leading the Italian outfit. While few conclusions can be drawn from preseason fixtures, supporters will demand a positive result against their former boss and many will watch how Milan adapt under Amorim and to the 3-4-2-1 formation to which he appeared so wedded during his tenure at Old Trafford.

The match will also offer a first public assessment of the rivalry between the two men responsible for United’s recent transition. It will be a chance for newly appointed permanent United manager Michael Carrick to take on his predecessor, having overseen drastic improvement compared to Amorim’s time in charge. The fixture therefore carries financial, tactical and narrative significance for both clubs as they head into the new season.

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