Football Season Guide

United’s campaign was a tale of two halves. Amorim’s first half was a miserable one, with defeat to Grimsby in the Carabao Cup marking the nadir. However, Michael Carrick’s arrival in January sparked a remarkable turnaround, and a strong end to the season saw them finish third to secure a Champions League return. Casemiro has been the only first-choice player to depart, with Man Utd having brought in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to beef up the midfield. Signing a striker to support Sesko seems necessary, while defence also looks like it needs upgrades. Having earned a deserved contract extension, Carrick will now have the opportunity to oversee his first full season at the club. The pre-season preparations may have been disrupted by the absence of key starters such as Lisandro Martinez, Senne Lammens, Matheus Cunha and Bruno Fernandes, while Man Utd may need to add further depth before the transfer window ends. Fernandes is undoubtedly Carrick’s biggest asset and the player who ensured that the Red Devils will clinch a top-four finish last term, in which he broke the Premier League’s single-season assists record by bagging as many as 21. Yet, Man Utd’s defence is leaving much to be desired. Injuries to starting defenders plagued last season, with Lammens struggling to hit top form in goal. Casemiro’s presence helped improve United’s defensive solidity, but his departure may leave them short of protection in front of the defence.