Manchester United will begin preparations for the 2025/26 season next week when Ruben Amorim and his team return to Carrington for pre-season training.
The Manchester United squad have had the summer off to get over a disastrous 2024/25 campaign at Old Trafford. After losing the Europa League final in Bilbao, United finished 15th in the Premier League.
That means there will be no Champions League for a second consecutive season, with David May urging Ruben Amorim to get us back competing in Europe.
There will be changes made to the team in the summer transfer window. Matheus Cunha has arrived from Wolves, and attempts are being made to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford. Both players scored over 15 goals in the Premier League last term and will be expected to follow up with another prolific campaign.
Ineos are also trying to sell players that Amorim doesn’t have as part of his plans, including Marcus Rashford, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa. The England international dreams of joining Barcelona but is also being linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
For former players, it must be difficult watching United struggle like they did during Amorim’s first six months in charge. Juan Mata is hoping that the Red Devils can turn things around and he is backing one of his former teammates to shine bright.
Juan Mata in the A-League
Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Juan Mata has high expectations for Bruno Fernandes
Although there has been some challenging moments for United in recent times, Mata is optimistic for what lies ahead for his former club.
The former Spain international was in Manchester this week for the art exhibition ‘Football City, Art United’, which he co-curated.
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“I love Bruno,” Mata told ManUtd.com this week. “We speak a lot and, you know, I’m trying to always be there for him. When you are winning and everything is going well, it is easy to be surrounding him. When things are not going well, is there I try to be there for him.
“So, I really hope that, next season, he scores 40 goals and he gets 40 assists, and is the MVP [most valuable player] of the league! And he can, you know, keep doing what he’s doing because I think he’s instrumental for the present and for the future of the club.”
Mata was recently honoured with an MBE for his services to sport and charity, plus is currently playing with Western Sydney Wanderers.
Introducing Juan Mata 𝗠𝗕𝗘 👑✍️👏@wswanderersfc’s Spanish maestro was awarded one of Britain’s top honours for his for services to sport and charity by the British Ambassador to Spain in Madrid on behalf of King Charles.
Congratulations, Juan!
📸: @ukinspain. pic.twitter.com/I02yid4DqQ
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) July 4, 2025
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Mata outlines three reasons to trust Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim will soon embark on his first full season as United head coach.
Reflecting on last season, Mata is demanding a vast improvement in the Premier League and revealed that he watched the Europa League defeat against Tottenham in Australia.
“Well, first of all, I hope that everyone can play good and everyone can bring the club to what I believe it deserves to be,” Juan told us at Aviva Studios in central Manchester.
“Of course, it has been in a tough season and everyone was really excited about the [Europa League] final, which I watched from Australia, with the time difference. And I was as sad as everyone with the final result.
“But I think and I really hope that next season is going to be better,” he declared, showing his affection for the club he served between 2014 and 2022. “I think the team is good. I think the coach has just barely arrived and I wish him the best.
“He is young, he has intensity and passion, and I hope he will do very, very well.”