Man Utd Transfer News
Why Manchester United’s Two-Year Offer to Michael Carrick Echoes Past Errors
United have offered Carrick a two-year deal, a compact term that recalls previous hire mistakes too.
Manchester United have offered Michael Carrick a permanent contract that runs for the next two years. That proposal, reported by The Athletic, is understood to include the option of a 12-month extension and follows sign-off from co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Only Manchester City have won more points than the Red Devils since Carrick defeated Pep Guardiola’s side upon his return to the touchline. Carrick has also recorded victories over Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Chelsea as United pushed towards Champions League qualification and what looks like a near-guaranteed third-place finish.
Alternative candidates were considered, most notably Bournemouth’s outgoing Andoni Iraola, but the club appear to have settled on Carrick. If he accepts, Carrick would be the first full-time Manchester United manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to be handed a contract as short as two years.
That brevity is notable against the backdrop of United’s previous appointments. The club’s most conspicuous early mistake after Ferguson retired was the decision to hire David Moyes from Everton on a six-year deal. Moyes lasted less than one season. Burned by that outcome, United then issued three-year deals to the next five permanent managers; none of them completed the full three-year term.
Louis van Gaal later revealed that he had wanted a shorter agreement when he took charge in 2014. “We always knew that the process would take three years [but] I wanted to sign only for two years,” he said. “The club wanted me to sign for three years, not me. I signed for three years—so next year you will see me again.” Van Gaal was sacked within a month after winning the club’s first FA Cup since Ferguson’s retirement.
All three of José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Erik ten Hag signed contract extensions yet still failed to last until the end of their initial three-year deals. Ten Hag’s extension was accompanied by reports that United were interviewing candidates to replace him even as fresh terms were offered. The Solskjær case remains an instructive example of hasty decision-making: after a successful caretaker spell he was quickly offered permanent terms before the end of the 2018–19 campaign.
Man Utd Transfer News
Segovia’s Slip Confirms Casemiro Heading to Inter Miami
Segovia said, ‘I know Casemiro is coming.’ The comment fuels expectations of a move to Miami in MLS.
Inter Miami forward Telasco Segovia appeared to confirm reports linking Casemiro to the club when he told assembled reporters: “I know Casemiro is coming.” The remark, captured by Olé, came while Segovia discussed his ambitions after training alongside some of the best to ever feature on the continent.
The 34-year-old Casemiro has been the subject of persistent speculation as he approaches free agency. His form at United prompted fans and several players to appeal for “one more year” of his services, but the midfielder has moved toward those reports of an MLS switch. Recent coverage has described Miami as on the cusp of securing his agreement after outmaneuvering MLS rivals LA Galaxy.
Segovia, 23, sought to temper his own comments by adding: “If he does come, he’s more than welcome; he’ll bring a lot to the team, and I think he’s going to give us so much.” The forward’s words offer an early, unplanned confirmation that allows supporters to better picture Casemiro in a pink shirt.
Lionel Messi’s teammate would join a squad that pauses competitive action for the World Cup. After Sunday’s clash with Philadelphia Union at Nu Stadium, the Herons will not be back in action until July 22, when Chicago Fire visit. Should Casemiro’s Brazil reach the World Cup final on July 19, it is unlikely he will be available for Miami’s match against the Fire.
Casemiro has been granted a reprieve for United’s final Premier League game to prepare for the upcoming tournament, which is expected to be his last for Brazil. Having completed a full European club season that began in August, the ageing midfielder will require time to recover ahead of the international competition.
Aston Villa
Why Manchester United turned to Senne Lammens instead of Emiliano Martínez
How Manchester United chose Senne Lammens after internal scouting advice over Emiliano Martínez 2025
Manchester United completed negotiations for Senne Lammens on Sept. 1 after a summer in which Emiliano Martínez’s future remained unsettled. Martínez had been linked with a move to Old Trafford and at one point appeared to bid farewell to Aston Villa supporters, but he stayed and has since spoken publicly about that decision.
The Argentine’s status was uncertain when the new season began in August. His return was delayed after the opening day and he made his comeback in the following Villa match, only to be left out of the squad for a game played the day before the summer transfer deadline. United continued talks over Lammens and did not close that deal until Sept. 1, a timeline that allowed the club to keep options open.
“Sometimes football can change, managers can come in and go. People move around the place, but it doesn’t mean that I [don’t] have full respect and love for [Aston Villa],” Martínez told reporters ahead of this week’s Europa League final in Istanbul.
“I had a commitment with Aston Villa. I’m a World Cup winner [with Argentina ] with Aston Villa. I won two [Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper awards] with Aston Villa. I will always and forever love this club. One day I am going to retire and somebody else will be between the sticks.
“I’m in a European final, we are in Champions League [next season] again, with all the ups and downs. We’ve got a top coach, we’ve got a top captain, we have a decent core of the team and when we stick together and fight together, we can beat anybody.
“I’m really proud to stay. I made the right choice.”
Reports since have suggested United’s then manager Ruben Amorim favoured Martínez for his experience, while a rival view from inside the club recommended Lammens. That recommendation came from goalkeeping scout Tony Coton, who had tracked Lammens for six years through Belgium’s youth teams, Club Brugge and a senior breakthrough with Royal Antwerp.
Coton discussed his assessment on Manchester United’s Inside Carrington podcast. “I wanted to see his concentration levels if, when I’m talking, he is looking elsewhere. Is he looking at the video still and this, that and the other?” Coton said. “And he was just locked. He was just locked onto me and I’m thinking: ‘Yeah, he’s got a real focus.’ And I’d seen that in his game.
“[United] asked me could he go straight into the team and I said: ‘Yes, straight away.’ I had to say that anyway because I’d recommended him!”
Martínez, who became a top-flight starter at 28 after a decade as a backup at Arsenal, still has a contract with Aston Villa until the summer of 2029. He would be close to 37 by its expiry and will have spent nine years at Villa Park. In recent seasons Villa have gone deep in European competitions, qualified for the Champions League twice and come within a point of a second top-four Premier League finish in three years.
Liverpool
Leipzig’s Yan Diomande: settled for now as United and Liverpool assess summer options
Yan Diomande says he is happy at Leipzig as United, Liverpool and others watch his breakthrough yet
Yan Diomande has emerged as one of the Bundesliga’s most watched teenagers, yet the RB Leipzig winger gave a clear indication that a move is not on his mind immediately. The 19-year-old from Côte d’Ivoire joined Leipzig from Leganés last summer after making his senior debut for the Spanish side less than 14 months ago. In his first full top-flight season he has recorded 21 Bundesliga goals and assists.
His ability to play on either flank has generated interest. Manchester United are noted to lack a natural left-sided option, while Liverpool face the problem of a Mohamed Salah-sized gap on the right. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked.
Asked about his future in an interview with kicker, Diomande said: “I’m not thinking about [leaving] right now. I’m at Leipzig and I enjoy playing here. In the end, it’s always the statistics that count. It’s been a fantastic year for me.” That statement underlines Leipzig’s current negotiating position.
Leipzig have placed a steep price on Diomande, widely reported at €100 million ($116.2 million, £86.7 million). The club will return to the Champions League in 2026–27 after not competing in UEFA competition this season, bolstering their hand in any transfer discussions.
There are precedents for Leipzig managing young exits over time. Benjamin Šeško’s potential move in 2024 was deferred by 12 months after he signed a new contract that included an understanding the club would facilitate a transfer in 2025. There are already reports Diomande has held talks over fresh terms at the Red Bull Arena that could carry a similar expectation. If he maintains his form, a substantial move next year—when he will still be only months shy of his 21st birthday—remains feasible.
For Premier League clubs, the practical alternatives are limited. One option under consideration is Anthony Gordon, primarily a left winger who can operate on the right or as a false nine. Liverpool could view Gordon as an upgrade on Cody Gakpo and reshuffle to cover the right with Jeremie Frimpong higher, or Dominik Szoboszlai or Florian Wirtz on the right. Gordon grew up supporting Liverpool, was released by their academy at 11 and then joined Everton, and reports link him with an approach from Bayern Munich.
