“Money is one thing”
180 million euros, three midfielders. That is Manchester United’s summer, and Michael Carrick spent Monday morning explaining why he thinks it was enough. The English coach isn’t hiding behind the numbers. He owns them.
“I believe we can be competitive,” he said, before spelling out his point: “Money is one thing. What you do with it and how you get the best out of it is another.”
The headline signing has a name: Carlos Baleba, who arrived from Brighton for 82 M€. Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans complete the rebuild through the middle. Three players to reshape one area of the pitch, while several rivals spent across the board.
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Third place is now a floor, not a ceiling
Carrick’s comments did not come out of nowhere. He guided the Red Devils to third in the Premier League last season, and back into the Champions League. That is a position they now have to defend with a squad plenty of people rate below Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea.
“We know the challenges we are facing, of course we do. It is not instant, but I think we are heading in the right direction, absolutely,” he added.
The manager also says he can feel “freshness and excitement” in the group, along with “a hunger to win”. That is the language of a club building, not one pretending it has already arrived.
Ninety-six minutes at Goodison
The timing tells its own story. On Sunday, United were pegged back at Goodison Park by Everton in the 96th minute through a strike from Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Two points gone in stoppage time, days before the European campaign resumes.
Carrick talks about momentum and balance. Neither is available in the transfer market, and that is exactly the case he is making. Whether the table backs him up in May is a different conversation.
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