Transfer season is in full swing. With the Champions League final this past weekend, that signaled the completion of the 25/26 club football season.
And for United, we've already seen a week go by since our last game of what was one hell of a campaign.
But in order to make next year a more memorable one, United will really have to go all out and back Michael Carrick and give him every opportunity of making 26/27 a success.
And here are five players I believe can help the ex-legend succeed next season:
1. Elliot Anderson
This man needs no introduction.
Elliot Anderson pretty much ticks all the boxes for what we need in our midfield in terms of a solid Casemiro replacement.
The England international is one of the country's best midfielders and has been a standout for Forest again this campaign.
Great on the ball, physical, strong, composed, ability to pick a mean pass - you saw the assist against United. Everything that Forest did went through Anderson showing just how key he is to their play.
He's got Premier League experience and at just 23-years-old has many years ahead of him.
Another advantage to Anderson is that he has played with Mainoo, albeit briefly.
The pair have featured in England's midfield under Thomas Tuchel and have also seemed to have developed a strong bond both on the pitch and off it. That is a great sign.
Also, after that Forest game, I feel like Anderson was sending a subtle message about his future. Take a look at this 👇
You see what I'm saying 👀?
Of course there are big issues with this potential deal.
Costing in the region of £100m is a hefty price for one as young as him and for a player who's only really been amazing in the last couple of seasons. But it's because of that that Man City are favourites for his signature - which is the other major problem.
Prizing him away from the blue half of the city will be difficult even with the departure of Pep Guardiola.
He is my preferred option but despite these massive stumbling blocks, United do have other choices in this position mainly Aurelien Tchouameni and Sandro Tonali.
I would be very happy with either of those if we can't get Anderson.
2. Angelo Stiller
I don't really want to go too in-depth with Stiller because I've already done a deep-dive into why he is exactly what we need in our midfield.
The 25-year-old German is said to be a sort of deep-lying playmaker who possesses great composure on the ball and decision-making in the final third, which are attributes we know we need at United.
He even displays great work ethic with an ability to get up and down the pitch as that box-to-box midfielder.
Read more about Stiller here.
I also find that he would provide the perfect competition for Mainoo.
At this point, Kobbie seems to be a certain starter especially after signing his new contract yet he is still a youngster and a prospect besides. We don't know whether he will be the ideal partner for someone like Anderson and so player to challenge for that midfield spot would be something that United should be looking to do.
This Stiller deal is one I can't understand why the club wouldn't be all over. Cheap (£39m), easy, and would work in our team.
3. Mateus Fernandes
Another of similar ilk to Stiller is Fernandes of West Ham.
After their relegation, bringing him to Old Trafford has been made simpler. It also won't cost as much compared to if the Hammers stayed in the PL. At £43m, Fernandes is certainly within budget.
He is also just 21-years-old which again, fits the parameters of what INEOS are looking for in terms of age, yet having played in the PL, he has the experience in the hardest league in the world.
A solid box-to-box option who can hold down the midfield when necessary, Fernandes can dictate the tempo from deep, move the ball forward through both progressive passes and carries, and has incredible stamina.
He tracks runners, loves a tackle, is great at interceptions and is strong in terms of defensive duels.
All of that does sound amazing but I would put Fernandes down as that third-tier midfield signing for United, someone who would be a good squad/rotational player yet still have the ability to keep the level of quality high.
He's also got a couple of international teammates in Bruno and Dalot which always helps new players settle.
Speaking of Portugal, something United have on their side as well with this deal is that Fernandes will not be going to the World Cup. This makes things easier should they pursue the West Ham man.
And you know how we like easy deals.
It's a tap-in if United really want it.
4. Nathaniel Brown
Admittedly, I don't know much about this young German at Frankfurt. However, his name has been doing the rounds as a top, left-back option.
Brown is what we would call the modern full-back: he's press resistant, has great ability on the ball, and has strong defensive recoveries. Brown is also calm in possession and can even play line-breaking passes or balls over the top. He ended the 25/26 campaign with an 87% pass completion rate.
The German possesses excellent stamina as he is up and down the pitch all game with relentless overlapping and underlapping runs. This means that he can keep the width or narrow central areas throughout a game.
While he has won a lot of ground duels (65, the second-most in the Bundesliga) Brown is weak aerially which could be a problem for United considering we get caught on the back post a lot.
Despite getting into promising attacking areas, his crossing ability leaves a lot to be desired with.
But at just 22 years of age, there are always going to be weaknesses to his game and room for improvement. What all this does indicate though, is a player with a lot of promise. Someone like him could genuinely push Shaw to the bench.
An issue however, would be his price. With his current contract ending in 2030, Frankfurt are apparently looking in the region of £57m for the left-back. That is a lot of money for a young defender who hasn't played in the PL.
United perhaps won't be looking at him because of this.
Brown btw, is an alternative to Lewis-Hall. The Newcastle defender would probably cost a bit more but at least he has Premier League experience. On the other hand, I doubt Newcastle would want to lose Anthony Gordon, potentially Tonali and Lewis-Hall all in the same transfer window.
That deal could be very difficult. If it can be done, then I would take Lewis-Hall over Brown.
The German simply provides a good alternative.
5. Iliman Ndiaye
United don't need a left-winger as a top priority. Is it a priority? Yes, but as we have a lot of business to take care of, LW is more of a cherry on top of the cake-type signing.
We still need to build the cake.
But I like this profile of player. Tricky, all-action, edge-of-your-seat-type winger, Ndiaye will really get fans excited.
I also believe a player like that is suited to a club like United, someone who will bring flair and dynamism to the team.
Unlike the likes of Dorgu and Cunha, the Senegalese is an actual left-winger. With all the players we have, an out-and-out LW is something we do not possess.
The Senegal international can also play on the right-wing with ease as well showing a bit of versatility.
At 26, he's also within the age range for what INEOS are looking for. He also has ample amounts of PL experience.
Output wise, he doesn't provide the best numbers with just 6 goals and 3 assists in 34 matches. This is an area of his game that does need improving especially if he is to play for United.
Another reason why I don't see LW of utmost concern is because we have the aforementioned Dorgu and Cunha who can both play in that position.
They may not be experts in that role compared to someone like Ndiaye but they've certainly shown that they are more than capable of doing a job on that flank, particularly someone like Dorgu.
The two of them can rotate for this season even with the extra games. You also have the option of using either Amad or Mbeumo on the left and if absolutely necessary, Mount can play out there as well.
However, if United were to do the other deals and with the reported budget of around £250m - £300m to spend (excluding sales), then there is no reason why Ndiaye or any other left-winger cannot be bought even if his asking price good be £80m.
These are my personal picks for which five players United should sign to elevate our quality but also - and this might be a long shot - challenge for the title?
I've tried to get players who have relative experience as well, whether in the PL or not. With Carrick himself being an inexperienced manager, I think he'll benefit from having players who've been around for a bit and know what it's like to play at the highest level.
Btw, I do think we need more than five players because of those that should be leaving, injuries and the extra games. Squad depth is key.
But who do you think we should sign in order to push for the Premier League? That is the goal, ain't it?
Elliot Anderson | Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images - Coming Home Newcastle
Mateus Fernandes | Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images via Hammers News
Angelo Stiller | Creator: Christian Kaspar-Bartke Copyright: 2026 Getty Images via Goal
Nathaniel Brown | Image credit: Getty Images via Bavarian Football Works
Iliman Ndiaye | Offside via Getty Images - Royal Blue Mersey