Carrick opens door to January signings as Man Utd plan defensive rebuild

United ready to explore January market

Michael Carrick says Manchester United will look for ways to strengthen in January as the club prepares a wider defensive rebuild across the next two transfer windows.

“When the next transfer window comes, you want to plan and you want to make the best of it,” Carrick told Sky Sports ahead of Sunday’s visit to Leeds. “There’s opportunity because the transfer window is open. So we’ll definitely be looking at that and trying to come out stronger.”

Left-back and centre-back are priorities

United’s planned next phase of squad building is expected to focus on centre-backs and left-backs, after the club concentrated on attack and midfield over the past two seasons. The lack of cover at left-back has been exposed by an injury to Luke Shaw, with Ayden Heaven deputising out of position.

Shaw is out of contract at the end of the season. United considered Lewis Hall as a possible long-term option during the summer, but Newcastle were unwilling to sell and Hall has since signed a long-term deal there. There are also questions over Lisandro Martinez’s future: his contract expires at the end of the season, though United hold an option to extend it by a year.

United spent £155m on midfielders Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba in the summer, while Martinez publicly criticised the club hierarchy’s level of investment. Carrick said the internal matter had been resolved after Martinez apologised for the timing and public nature of his comments, but not for the views he expressed.

Carrick says focus is on results and rebuilding

Carrick faces pressure after a run of poor results, but said he believes he will be given time. “I’m here to win football matches,” he said, adding that his aim is also to develop the club. He said he does not focus on his own job security and that “there’s no individual that’s more important than this football club.”

Asked about the frustration among supporters, Carrick said he shared it over the team’s results. He also reaffirmed the club’s ambition to return to the top, saying United were “building” and “coming from behind,” and that the squad and staff were pushing in the same direction.