Ruben Amorim and Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe should not rule out the possibility of hijacking Real Madrid’s interest in a former Manchester United player this summer.
The 40-year-old Manchester United manager will soon return to the dugout for the start of the Red Devils’ pre-season campaign, which will run in July and August.
United will head out to Europe and the United States for their pre-season tour before returning to Old Trafford for their 2025-26 Premier League campaign in August.
The Red Devils will have a tough start to the upcoming season under Ruben Amorim after the Premier League fixture list revealed United’s first five opponents.
United will be in action on the opening weekend of the Premier League season and the Red Devils will welcome rivals Arsenal to Old Trafford on 17th August.
The Red Devils’ opening five fixtures for the Premier League campaign also include a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City and an encounter with Chelsea at home.
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Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe consoles Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim after the 2025 Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at the Estadio San Mames in 2025 in Bilbao.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
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Former Man Utd talent Alvaro Carreras is on Real Madrid’s transfer radar amid the uncertainty around his Benfica future
Alvaro Carreras has started to make a name for himself at Benfica after he left Manchester United, having come through the Red Devils’ youth academy.
United loaned Alvaro Carreras out to Benfica in the 2024 January transfer window and the Red Devils included a £5.1m option to make the move permanent.
The 22-year-old Spanish-born left-back left Old Trafford in May 2024 after Benfica triggered the option to buy him from United, with the deal including €3m in add-ons.
Correio da Manha reports that Carreras ‘already has an agreement’ with Real Madrid and he ‘refused to play’ for Benfica against Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
The former United talent was an unused substitute in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday, with 10-man Benfica crashing out of the Club World Cup’s round of 16.
The Portuguese newspaper claims that Carreras’ reluctance to play and his agreement with Madrid was why Benfica boss Bruno Lage didn’t turn to him.
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Ruben Amorim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe need to consider using Man Utd’s option for Benfica’s Alvaro Carreras amid Real Madrid’s interest
Alvaro Carreras has impressed during his time at the Portuguese outfit and there is no doubt that United fans have been open to bringing him back to Old Trafford.
The Galicia international has come into his own as an emerging full-back and Real Madrid wouldn’t be ready to splash out on Carreras if they didn’t believe the ‘hype.’
Carreras is under contract with Benfica until 2029 and the former academy product has the ability to play as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s tactical system for United.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos still have their ‘ace in the hole’ when it comes to Carreras and could still exercise it if they choose to before Madrid’s transfer swoop.
United included a reported £15m buy-back clause in their sale of Carreras and the Red Devils could bring the player back to Old Trafford this summer if they want.
The decision could benefit United manager Amorim, who would add another excellent, emerging full-back option to his wing-backs for his tactical system.
However, United could also use the buyback option to sign Carreras, allow him to develop further at Old Trafford and even sell him on for a higher fee in the future.