Join us for the United In Focus live blog for Man Utd vs Wrexham from 1pm, kick-off at 4pm.
It's good to FINALLY have club football back!
Who are you most excited to see in action for Man Utd vs Wrexham?
Which player are you expecting to impress👀
Man Utd have CONFIRMED the players who travel to face Wrexham - What are your thoughts?
No Benjamin Sesko in the squad...
IF Andrey Santos is available to play Wrexham, who would you like to see him start alongside out of the available options?
Andrey Santos is training already!
This is how Man United lined up vs Wrexham when the sides last met in 2023
Which of these Man United youngsters had the highest potential?
Q from Sean Fisher: Do you think we could see Andrey Santos in action against Wrexham next week? 👀 Who would you partner him with?
Yes! I mean, if United can complete the deal in the coming days, why not? We currently have limited midfield options, and everyone will be eager to see Santos in a United shirt. I'd like to see him partnered with either Jacob Devaney or Jim Thwaites.
Q from Amir: There will be a lot of media noise around United and Carrick next season. Good or bad, it's going to be on overdrive, so how does Carrick deal with the Man United pundits who will have a lot to say?
Manchester United is always the biggest story, but that won't be anything new to Carrick, who spent the majority of his professional career at Old Trafford. I think Carrick has already dealt superbly with the digs aimed at him by pundits - especially those who played for United in the past, which can't be easy to handle. The likes of Roy Keane and Gary Neville were far too quick to write him off and may now feel too proud to pull a U-turn. I definitely think that's the case with Keane. Anyhow, it's all part of the job; you either sink or swim. Carrick has my backing regardless.
Q from Freddie: Who do United need 100% sell this summer to add funds to the pot?
United have a notorious tendency to struggle when selling players, partly due to the incentivised salary packages dished out to them by previous executives. That said, if I had a magic wand and could organise a few departures, the first player I would look to find a buyer for is Manuel Ugarte - closely followed by Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee.
Q from Jack Gallagher: What are your expectations for Andrey Santos?
My first expectation, as with every new signing, is for him to realise that the badge on the front of the shirt is more important than the name on the back. That might be a difficult transition for some players coming from Chelsea, but I trust United have done thorough background checks on Santos. Santos isn't coming to United to play second fiddle, but he may need to be eased into the team initially. It is a huge step up from playing a bit-part role at Chelsea to starting week in, week out for United. I'm excited about the signing, though. Chelsea has an abundance of young talent unable to break through and develop. Santos is coming to United for that exact opportunity, and I hope he becomes the next player - following in the footsteps of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah - to expose Chelsea's impatience. Hopefully, a long-term partner for Kobbie Mainoo.
Q from Brook: Who do you think the club's most improved player will be next season?
If he can avoid significant injury setbacks, this is Patrick Dorgu's season to blossom. We remain none the wiser as to whether he's going to be a left-back or a left-winger, but with three goals in as many starts under Carrick, I want to see the Dane sprinting down the flank and causing havoc for opponents.
Q from James Lloyd: Tchouameni now looks out of the question, Andrey Santos is coming in alongside Ederson. United surely need a little more in midfield. Who could that be? Will the club have to settle for a Sander Berge can they realistically beat Arsenal to Bruno Guimarães?
Aurélien Tchouaméni was the dream buy, wasn't he? Sadly, whoever comes in will be directly compared to the Frenchman. Let's give whoever that is a chance to make a name for themselves, though, instead of writing them off before they've even worn the shirt. I wouldn't turn my nose up at Bournemouth's Alex Scott, but I dread to think how much Newcastle will eventually demand, or what a potential suitor might cave in and pay, for Bruno Guimarães this summer. He turns 29 later this year. It's time to see what United's scouting system is about because missing out on primary targets is not a new phenomenon for this club.
Q from Brian: What way do you see Lisandro Martinez fitting into the side this season, should he stay fit? Who features in your preferred back four going into the new season?
Lisandro Martínez starts if fit, alongside Harry Maguire. That, in my opinion, is United's best centre-back pairing. This is a huge season for Martinez in terms of staying fit because I sense patience could wear thin from sections of the fanbase, especially since Matthijs de Ligt is another centre-back prone to the treatment room. With everyone available, my preferred back four would be Diogo Dalot, Maguire, Martínez, and Luke Shaw.
Q from Stephen Holmes: United hope to be playing twice a week for most of the season. Would it not make sense to have a squad rotation from the start, and give the players the best chance of not coming in cold when needed?
This will be one of Carrick's biggest challenges as we embark on the 2026/27 campaign. We've yet to see how he plans on rotating the team, largely because we had long breaks between fixtures last season and never played more than one game per week. That said, keeping an entire squad happy with such limited game time presents its own unique challenge. Now that we're back competing in the Champions League, I'm intrigued to see how Carrick manages the squad with a much busier schedule.
Q from Dan Owen: What are your realistic targets for Sesko - 25 goals maybe?
Sesko should be aiming for that figure, considering United will have more fixtures this season. It would still be an impressive jump from the 12 he managed last term.
Q from Vatsal: Can you see Carrick introducing any tactical wrinkles to the squad in pre-season? How much of last season was him adjusting to the squad, and how close was he to his ideal vision of football?
The most encouraging performance from Carrick's five months as interim head coach was the 3-0 win over Brighton on the final day of the season. Aside from that match, it wasn't always pretty, but I hope that was simply down to Carrick working with the players he had at his disposal and ensuring United got the results required to finish the season strongly. This is precisely why United need to recruit well this summer: to give Carrick the tools to fully implement his vision of a United side.
Q from Sean Fisher: Can you predict one academy star who is going to break through this pre-season?
I'm going to say Harry Amass, because Carrick is going to need cover for Luke Shaw at left-back, but I would also really like to see Jacob Devaney get a chance.
Qs from Midfield Maestro: Two questions, Dale. 1) Should we be looking more seriously at Sander Berge? 2) Are there plans for a back-up striker, or are we going to rely on Cunha and Mbeumo if Sesko is injured?
I've always rated Sander Berge, but I feel that ship sailed in 2024 when United regrettably spent £42.2m on Manuel Ugarte. Berge is a very good player with plenty of Premier League experience, but nobody can convince me he's world-class - and I think our midfield needs a bit of that elite quality. As for the striker search, yes, United would definitely like to sign an experienced forward to provide competition for Benjamin Šeško. However, that will depend on outgoings and how much money is left over after addressing the midfield area. It will likely only become a priority if Joshua Zirkzee moves on. It's worth noting that Matheus Cunha just led the line for Brazil at the World Cup, scoring three goals, while Bryan Mbeumo represents another incredibly solid alternative option.
Q from Dan Coombs: The World Cup has dominated football news in recent weeks, so out of 10, what is your excitement level about United's return currently and how do you see that changing as we build to the start of the season?
I'm always excited by the prospect of proper football returning. (Disclaimer: As an Irishman, international football has been a difficult watch for some time now.) However, the way last season ended gives United fans plenty of reason to be optimistic, which is a world away from where we were 12 months ago after losing the Europa League final to Tottenham and finishing 15th in the league. Optimism rating: 7/10 - but that will increase depending on our summer transfer business.
Q from Jonny: What are your thoughts on United's new stadium plans? With the land acquisition, it seems closer than ever to beginning construction, but how are Ineos going to afford it? How much will government help for the regeneration project help with the cost of the development?
The traditionalist in me is hurt by the idea. I will happily argue with anyone that the criticisms of Old Trafford are exaggerated; it is still one of the best football stadiums in the country. Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants a shiny new toy - or the "Wembley of the North," as he described it - without paying for it entirely himself. More should have been done to explore potentially redeveloping Old Trafford, but we are now being left in the dark about the future of our historic home. I don't want a soulless bowl to replace Old Trafford. I want the fans to be put first and listened to, rather than being patronised with buzzwords like "heritage" by club suits who couldn't care less if the stadium were demolished, so long as they are paid handsomely.
Q from Alan: How do you see the Rashford situation developing during pre-season?
This is a sticky situation because United have made it no secret for over a year that they want to sell Rashford to free up room on the wage bill. Those wages will also prove to be a hurdle for any of Rashford's potential suitors in Europe, and I don't think he will have any interest in leaving the continent at this stage of his career. There is a possibility, of course, that Michael Carrick feels he can get the best out of Rashford. To his credit, Carrick knows Rashford better than anyone in the boardroom does. While his wages are an issue, I fail to see many available left-wing options on the market who are genuinely superior to Rashford. Some burnt bridges will need rebuilding if Rashford is to return to United. If he does, it would be nice to see him show a bit of appreciation for his boyhood club--perhaps he forgot how to do that while living in Barcelona.
