Published Jul 30, 2026, 4:13 PM GMT+1

Ethan is a feature and opinion journalist at Football FanCast.

He studied Football Journalism at the University of Derby, undertaking roles such as media assistant for Non-League side Mickleover Sports and EFL reporter for VAVEL.

Upon graduating in 2023, Ethan spent six months at GRV Media as a Premier League journalist, before joining FootballFanCast in February 2024.

Ethan is an avid Nottingham Forest supporter and season ticket holder, who also holds a keen interest in Formula One.

He covers a host of sides from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, to Leeds and clubs across the Midlands such as Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa. He particularly enjoys producing analytical content.

Michael Carrick has overseen two arrivals at Old Trafford to date, with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans arriving from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively.

INEOS have already invested £85m into the senior ranks, but a third central midfield addition could well be on the cards before the summer transfer window slams shut.

However, other players who have previously been on the fringes of the senior ranks could be handed a route back into the senior ranks of Carrick next campaign.

Why Rashford could resurrect his Man United career under Carrick

After his unsuccessful tenure under Ruben Amorim, United forward Marcus Rashford was sent out on loan to LaLiga giants Barcelona to try and resurrect his career.

The Englishman enjoyed a successful campaign in Spain, subsequently scoring 14 times and laying on 11 assists during his 49 appearances across all competitions.

However, the deadline has passed for Hansi Flick’s side to make such a deal permanent, with the 28-year-old now returning to Old Trafford for pre-season.

There’s a possibility he could be utilised by Carrick throughout the 2026/27 campaign, which could see the Englishman follow in Kobbie Mainoo’s footsteps and resurrect his career in Manchester.

The academy graduate suffered the same fate under Amorim and was excluded from his plans - but the arrival of Carrick saw the youngster brought back into the squad.

The 21-year-old featured in all but one game after his appointment in February, subsequently recapturing his best form and leading to an England call-up for the World Cup.

Rashford could now emulate his compatriot in returning to the fold at United and staking his claim for a regular starting role once again at Old Trafford.

How Man Utd could replace Rashford this summer

Despite the pending return of Rashford at Old Trafford, the hierarchy have set their sights on further strengthening the club’s attacking department.

Countless names have been touted with a move to Manchester in recent days, with free agent Dušan Vlahović just one name who has appeared on their shortlist.

He’s not the only player to have featured in Serie A to appear in their sights of late, with AC Milan star Rafael Leão a genuine target for Carrick’s men this summer.

It’s been reported by Tuttomercatoweb in Italy that the player’s representatives have been in touch with the Red Devils over the possibility of a move to the club.

They also claim that the player himself would be extremely keen on a move to the Premier League, with a £42m fee mooted to secure the 27-year-old’s signature.

It’s unclear if Carrick’s men will take the Portuguese agent’s offer of a move to Manchester this window, but there’s no denying the club would be landing an elite-level forward option.

When comparing his stats to those of Rashford from the most recent campaign, Leao outperformed the Englishman in countless key areas - showcasing his dominance within the final third.

The AC Milan star completed an impressive 84% of passes he attempted in Serie A, whilst also creating an average of 1.8 successful dribbles per 90.

Both of the aforementioned figures were higher than those produced by Rashford, whilst also placing him above 85% of forwards in Europe’s top-five leagues - backing up Como scout Ben Mattinson‘s statement that he’s “one of the best left wingers in the world.”

Leao also managed to complete more of the take-ons he attempted last term, with his tally of 1.3 per 90 placing him in the top 15% of forwards on the continent.

He often added the end product to his mazy runs in Italy, subsequently achieving a 44% cross success rate - ranking him above the Englishman and 88% of other forwards in Europe.

To reaffirm his dominance over Rashford, Leao created over two times more big chances per 90 - which could make him a dominant force for Carrick’s men next season.

£42m for a player of the Portuguese international’s ilk would be a phenomenal piece of business and one that would see United land an elite-level attacking talent.

Rashford’s potential return may be music to the ears of many supporters, but his comeback may be short-lived if the hierarchy can secure a move for the AC Milan talent.