The double-pivot dilemma facing Carrick's permanent reign
Michael Carrick begins his first pre-season as permanent Manchester United manager next week. After guiding the club to a top-four finish during his second interim spell, the board handed him the keys full-time. The immediate reward is a return to Champions League football, but the tactical hurdles are immediate. The squad is thin, and the midfield requires a complete structural rebuild.
We saw the limits of the current setup during the final weeks of last season. In the 3-2 victory over Chelsea in May, Carrick's side retreated into a passive mid-block. Without a mobile ball-winner, they conceded a massive xG deficit of 2.45. Christian Eriksen and Casemiro simply could not track late runs into the penalty area. This defensive vulnerability showed that Carrick cannot rely on his veteran midfielders for the upcoming European campaign.
United have already missed out on primary targets. Elliot Anderson chose Manchester City. Mateus Fernandes went to Tottenham. These misses leave Carrick with a thin deck as pre-season training begins. As reported by The Mirror, United are planning a midfield overhaul, but their initial targets have already shifted.
The first major piece of business is Atalanta's Ederson. The Brazilian is expected to complete a £35million transfer once Brazil's World Cup 2026 campaign concludes. Ederson represents a specific tactical profile that Carrick desperately needs. But one signing is not enough for a team entering the Champions League group stages.
Wharton, Baleba, and the Kobbie Mainoo compatibility test
United's transfer team spent months scouting Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Brighton's Carlos Baleba. Yet, the trail for Wharton has gone completely cold. Carrick's coaching staff concluded that Wharton is too similar to Kobbie Mainoo. Both players want to dominate the same zones, dropping deep to collect from the center-backs.
Mainoo averaged 5.4 progressive passes per ninety minutes last season. Wharton profiles almost identically, operating as a deep-lying tempo setter who prefers to dictate from the first phase. Playing them together in a double pivot would create a redundant build-up structure. One would inevitably step into areas that crowd the other, stalling the transition. Carrick needs a runner, not another passer.
In the 2-1 win against Newcastle in April, Mainoo was forced to play as a lone pivot for the final twenty minutes. His pass completion rate under pressure fell to 76%. He was constantly swarmed because there was no secondary physical presence to share the load. Partnering him with Wharton would only exacerbate this issue, leaving United vulnerable to teams that employ aggressive central pressing traps.
Baleba presented a different issue. Brighton refuse to budge from their £100million valuation. This stance persists despite Baleba coming off an underwhelming Premier League campaign where his positional discipline wavered. Paying a nine-figure fee for a raw destroyer is a risk United cannot afford. Under Fabian Hürzeler, Baleba's defensive recovery runs often lacked the awareness needed for an elite defensive anchor.
The Ederson blueprint and the Alex Scott alternative
Ederson is the anti-redundancy choice. In Gian Piero Gasperini's intensive man-marking system at Atalanta, the Brazilian developed elite recovery mechanics. He averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per ninety. He does not need to dominate possession to influence the match. Instead, he hunts the ball, wins it, and feeds it to his partner.
With Ederson arriving late due to the World Cup, United's focus has turned to Bournemouth's Alex Scott. Scott is now at the top of the club's midfield wishlist. Unlike Wharton, Scott excels at ball-carrying through the half-spaces. He completed 68% of his take-ons last season, showing the verticality Carrick's 4-2-3-1 build-up requires.
Director of football Jason Wilcox is also keeping tabs on Felix Nmecha at Borussia Dortmund. Wilcox worked with Nmecha in the Manchester City academy and appreciates his late-box-running ability. Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni remains an admired target, though a deal is highly unlikely. The strategy is clear: surround Mainoo with physical, forward-facing runners who can protect the transition.
This tactical direction represents a clear departure from the passive midfields of United's recent past. Carrick wants to implement a dynamic press that starts high up the pitch. Ederson's ability to cover ground will allow Mainoo to position himself higher in the half-spaces, where his quick turns can unlock low blocks. If Scott joins as well, Carrick will finally have the tactical flexibility to alternate between a mid-block and a high press.
The goalkeeper sub-plot: Kit Margetson's development curve
Beyond the first-team engine room, United are finalizing a deal for Wales under-21 goalkeeper Kit Margetson. The 19-year-old Swansea City shot-stopper will arrive for a compensation fee. He is the son of former England goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson, possessing excellent technical fundamentals. The plan is to sign him and immediately loan him out to an EFL club.
Margetson spent last season on loan at Connah's Quay Nomads, keeping clean sheets in the Welsh league. Carrick wants him to gain senior EFL experience rather than rotting in the under-21 league. This move shows a long-term developmental vision under the new sporting structure. It is a minor piece of business, but one that highlights a smarter approach to squad management.
In Carrick's system, the goalkeeper must act as an eleven-man builder. During goal-kicks, the keeper often splits the center-backs and acts as a central passing option. Margetson's passing accuracy over thirty yards was recorded at 72% in youth internationals. Sending him to the EFL will test his decision-making under high-pressure physical environments, prepping him for Carrick's demands.
Tactical prediction for the pre-season opener
Carrick will use the opening pre-season fixture to implement his trademark Middlesbrough-style build-up. In possession, United will shift from a nominal 4-2-3-1 to an asymmetric 3-2-5. Mainoo will drop to the left of the center-backs, while the right-sided pivot midfielder pushes higher into the half-space. The left-back will push high and wide, allowing the left winger to tuck inside.
Without Ederson, expect Scott to start immediately if the deal is completed in time. If not, Nmecha or an academy product will fill the void. The key tactical trigger will be the press-resistance of the pivot. When the opposition triggers their press, United must play through the center rather than bypassing the midfield. This is where Carrick's permanent tenure will succeed or fail.
My prediction is clear. If Carrick persists with a double pivot of Mainoo and a defensive placeholder, United will struggle for control in transition during July. But once Ederson integrates, the balance will click. The Brazilian will cover the defensive ground that Mainoo vacates, allowing the teenager to play twenty yards higher up the pitch. United will secure a comfortable 2-0 win in their first official friendly, showcasing a much tighter defensive block than last year.
