Home / Football / Premier League News Get rid of Michael Carrick and tie down Bruno Fernandes: The five things Manchester United must do this summer Manchester United have a lot of decisions to make at the end of the season Written by Mitch Fretton Last Update: March 31, 2026 01:41:50 pm BST 6 min read When Michael Carrick walked back through the doors at Carrington in January, Manchester United were sixth in the league, rudderless, and the mood around the club was one of quiet resignation. Less than three months later, they are on the verge of securing Champions League football and playing with a confidence that has been absent from Old Trafford for years.It is the most encouraging run of form United have produced since the early days of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and therein lies the problem. The supporters know how that story ended. The feel-good factor of a caretakers momentum can mask the deeper issues, and if United are not careful, the summer of 2026 will repeat the mistakes that have defined their last decade.Champions League football, if it arrives, changes the stakes. More games, more scrutiny, more pressure on a squad that is already stretched. Getting the next phase right is essential if the Red Devils are to really push on and restore their status as a powerhouse of English football.Weve picked out five key issues the club must address this summer. Table of Contents1 1. Make a call on Carrick2 2. Replace Casemiro3 3. Get Mainoo and Maguire tied down4 4. Solve the full-back problem5 5. New deal for Bruno Fernandes1. Make a call on CarrickThis is the hardest conversation for United to have, because Carrick has genuinely been excellent. The players clearly believe in him, results have been magnificent.The temptation to simply hand him the job and move on will be very tempty, particularly if Champions League qualification is secured.But United have been here before. Solskjaers early results earned him the permanent role, and the club spent years paying for that decision.Carrick deserves enormous credit for what he has achieved. But eighteen months of management experience is not a sufficient foundation for the size of the rebuilding project that lies ahead. United need a manager who has navigated the demands of Champions League football, managed large squads through a full season and demonstrated they can sustain a project over time. If the right candidate is available, sentiment cannot be the deciding factor at Old Trafford2. Replace CasemiroThe Brazilian has confirmed he will leave as a free agent this summer, and in many respects it is the right time for both parties. At his best this season, Casemiro has contributed more than many expected, particularly from set-pieces, but at 34, the signs of decline have been visible for fans, and United cannot build their midfield around a player at that stage of his career.What they must not do is replace him on the cheap. The names being tossed around Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba represent genuine quality at different points on the experience spectrum, and United would be well served by pursuing two of them rather than one. Anderson in particular has been outstanding at Nottingham Forest this season and offers a dynamism that has often been missing in Uniteds engine room. Balebas physicality and energy at Brighton has drawn a lot of admirers, there are players available, but United must pick the right ones.3. Get Mainoo and Maguire tied downBoth players are in contract negotiations, and both need to be resolved quickly. The World Cup changes everything. A strong tournament for either player and both are now in England contention will attract interest from across Europe and significantly inflate their market value. Uniteds leverage is greatest right now, before a ball is kicked in North America.Mainoos situation is the more pressing of the two. He was pushed towards the exit under Amorim, reportedly offered out on loan, and looked set to leave. Carrick has completely revived his season, and the 20-year-old now looks like the kind of player United should be building their team around for the next decade. A new deal on significantly improved terms is understood to be close. Maguire, at 33, is a different proposition, but he has been quietly excellent since Carricks arrival and is exactly the kind of experienced, reliable defender United need in the squad. A short extension makes sense for both parties. Letting him leave for nothing with no adequate replacement lined up would be typical of the administrative failures that have plagued the club.4. Solve the full-back problem This has been deferred for too long. Luke Shaw has been Carricks most consistent performer at left-back this season, which is both a positive and a concern. He is 31 in the summer and entering the final year of his contract. Tyrell Malacia is leaving as a free agent having barely featured since 2023, and Patrick Dorgu has been used as a winger. On the right, Diogo Dalot has never fully convinced the fans. Defensively exposed at times this season, and with his contract situation also in the air, United need at least one ideally two quality full-backs this summer. Lewis Hall has impressed enormously for Newcastle, earning his first England call-up and catching the eye with his performances against Barcelona in the Champions League. He fits the profile United need on the left. The right side requires similar ambition in the transfer market.5. New deal for Bruno FernandesEverything else on this list is secondary to this. Fernandes has broken records this season that have stood for over two decades at Old Trafford. He is the clubs captain, their most creative player by a considerable margin, and the figure around whom Carricks revival has been built. Losing him would not set United back. It would derail them entirely.His contract runs until 2027 but contains a release clause that makes him accessible to clubs outside the Premier League this summer. Saudi interest is serious and they have been chasing him for years. The gap between what United can offer and what the Saudi league can offer in pure salary terms is enormous, and anyone who dismisses the prospect of him leaving has not been paying attention to how these situations develop.The case for staying is Champions League football, a genuine project under a credible manager, and the chance to be part of something that is beginning to feel real again. Uniteds job this summer is to make that case compellingly with the promise of chasing silverware again. Put a contract in front of him that reflects his value, and close the door on speculation before it becomes a distraction. Topics: Bruno Fernandes Manchester United F.C. Follow us: Mitch Fretton Mitch is a freelance sports journalist with experience working for LiveScore, GOAL and Colchester United. He has experience working from both his desk at home and in the press box at games covering the Champions League and international football. Read more from Mitch Fretton
