Manchester United face a massive squad overhaul after confirming the departure of Michael Carrick with the club sitting 18th in the Premier League table.
Carrick’s tenure came to a close following a chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, according to the Daily Express. The result capped a defensive collapse that saw the Red Devils concede 15 goals across five matches in all competitions.
United entered November 17 in the Premier League table above the relegation zone only on goal difference, having earned seven points from nine games alongside a nine-match winless run that marked their longest since 1984, as reported by Sporting Life.
Michael Carrick leaves Manchester United with his head held high. Although the current league position is dreadful, Carrick's passion and professionalism never wavered, even when kept in the dark over his future. He qualified for the Champions League, and was the form manager… pic.twitter.com/5L9oFMP9wH
INEOS has moved swiftly to line up a replacement, with TEAMtalk sources revealing the exact compensation required to release Mauricio Pochettino and four backroom staff members from the US Soccer Federation. Pochettino faces an immediate test with an away fixture against Liverpool looming on Sunday, November 22.
Former United player Nicky Butt warned that the incoming manager must act decisively when the transfer window opens.
“He’s got to work out the ones he can trust, the ones he can’t and quickly and get them out in January; he can’t stick with that team until next season,” Butt told The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, as cited by TEAMtalk. “Manchester United are that low down, they don’t even need to think about winning anything at the minute.”
OFFICIAL: Manchester United have fired Michael Carrick with the club 18th in the Premier League, winning just once in their opening 10 games. Another one bites the dust 👋 pic.twitter.com/3abb8DfXOc
Decisions on eleven players
Pochettino arrives ready to evaluate the futures of up to 11 Manchester United players before the season concludes.
The incoming manager must determine whether Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, and Bruno Fernandes—who are all out of contract next year—remain part of the long-term project at Old Trafford, alongside Marcus Rashford, Diogo Dalot, Mason Mount, and Noussair Mazraoui. Decisions also loom for out-of-favour trio Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, and Joshua Zirkzee.
Squad sales have become increasingly central to recruitment strategy as Champions League qualification looks difficult to achieve, Flashscore UK reported. Without European revenues, trimming unwanted talent is necessary to fund new arrivals. United’s senior hierarchy has weighed up potential sales, including cashing in on Argentina international Lisandro Martinez, according to Flashscore UK.
However, Butt suggested Martinez might receive an unexpected lifeline under an Argentine manager, noting, “It will be interesting now with Martinez, him being Argentinian, that’s going to be interesting,” as reported by TEAMtalk.
A source told the Telegraph via TEAMtalk that “Mauricio has always loved Rashford.” “He will put an arm around him and give him that same kind of love he showed to Dele Alli [at Spurs].” “Then it’s up to Rashford,” said A source, explained to the Telegraph.
January transfer priorities
Recruitment plans for January focus heavily on securing a striker and a left-back, with funds dependent on departures, Flashscore UK noted. Sporting Life highlighted potential targets including former Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde, Como centre-back Jacobo Ramon, and Monaco forward Folarin Balogun. Balde made the left-back position his own during Barcelona’s 2022/23 title-winning season and supplied eight assists across 47 appearances in 2024/25.
Ramon has emerged as a promising young defender in Serie A after leaving Real Madrid in 2025. Balogun, who scored 21 league goals during a 2022/23 loan at Reims and 13 for Monaco last season, has been offered to United after falling behind Paris Brunner in Monaco’s pecking order.
Carrick's ten months evenly divided into very good and very bad. #mufc squandered momentum in a window that gets worse by the week. But Carrick and staff were found out by raised expectations and an increased workload in a sub-standard Premier League. Eighteenth is shambolic.
At the other end of the squad, veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton faces an uncertain future as his contract expires at the end of the season without an extension clause. At 40 years old, the former England international is expected to retire or transition into a coaching role, according to the Daily Express.
More on Manchester United
As suspected and now confirmed, #mufc only began a succession plan for Carrick post-Bournemouth. Damning that they didn’t already have one in place when the spiral started in September.
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