Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick is celebrating his 45th birthday.
With under a month to go until the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season, Michael Carrick is celebrating his birthday at Carrington while holding pre-season training.
Carrick officially became head coach at the end of last season, and now he is preparing to oversee his first full season in charge of the Red Devils.
Unlike his predecessor Ruben Amorim, Carrick will hope to forge a strong relationship with the hierarchy at Old Trafford, including CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox.
In order to help grow that relationship, here are three birthday presents that Ineos could give to Carrick.
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Aurelien Tchouameni
Ineos have already backed Carrick in the transfer market by signing midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, as well as Karl Darlow and Tynan Thompson.
But United need a third midfield signing to complete their rebuild this summer, and there is still quiet positivity around the chance to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid.
It would be the perfect signing for United to strengthen their midfield options, and it would put Carrick in a really strong position to try and complete Project 150 – the plan to win the Premier League by 2028.
Patience
Perhaps the rarest commodity for a Premier League manager nowadays.
Remarkably, Carrick is the second longest-serving manager of the traditional ‘Big Six’ Premier League sides. Only Mikel Arteta has been in charge of his club for a longer period of time.
But Carrick will need to be afforded patience if his United tenure is going to be a success. There will be highs and lows next season, and it’s important for Ineos to double down on their appointment and support Carrick as much as possible.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to give Amorim three years in charge, yet sacked him a few months after making those comments. Carrick signed a contract until 2028, and Ineos must act as though that deal is bulletproof.
What does success for Man Utd look like for you in 2026/27?
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No tactical interference
In the build-up to Amorim’s fiery attack on the United hierarchy, the Portuguese head coach hinted that he was far from pleased with interference from the board.
Wilcox has admitted to interfering tactically and there were several reports that Amorim was told to change his formation and style of play. It marked the beginning of the end for him.
This season, Carrick is swapping chaos for control and trying to coach a possession-based style of play.
That won’t come without issues. Much like my previous ‘Patience’ point, Ineos must make sure they steer clear of trying to interfere with Carrick’s coaching. If he fails, so be it, but interference from the board will only diminish the trust of the squad in the club’s direction.
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