Michael Carrick is reviving the careers of many Man Utd players, but his latest snub might just have triggered a ruthless Omar Berrada transfer rule.
From bringing Kobbie Mainoo back in from the cold to restoring Bruno Fernandes in his natural position, Michael Carrick is bringing the essence of Man Utd back.
In the meantime, players like Mason Mount, Benjamin Sesko, and Matheus Cunha have had to settle for places on the bench.
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However, they’re at least doing well after coming on, since the latest complete snub of a player is coming at the worst possible time for him, as Omar Berrada is watching closely.
Kobbie Mainoo talks to Manuel Ugarte, with Bruno Fernandes adjacent
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Omar Berrada’s ruthless transfer rule
Ineos, and by extension, Omar Berrada, aren’t the most popular people at the club right now, but their recruitment efforts are bearing fruit.
It can be argued that every summer signing has impressed to varying degrees, and the one who’s yet to shine – Sesko – is showing bundles of exciting potential for the future.
They needed to do so as well, since Berrada has been on record championing a ruthless transfer rule dating back to his days at Man City.
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At the time, Berrada spoke about giving any new signing a maximum of two years at the club to perform before a decision is taken on their future.
The logic is that the first year can be written off as needing to adapt, but the performances must improve drastically in the second.
City’s turnover in personnel is still done keeping that Berrada philosophy in mind, and he will have sought to bring the same to Old Trafford.
Players until 2025 got some leniency because most of them weren’t brought under Ineos’ watch. However, Carrick’s latest snub of an Ineos signing might just have triggered a Berrada rule for the next summer.
Manuel Ugarte’s departure is being accelerated
It’s no surprise that the two players linked with an exit are Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte, both of whom were signed by Ineos in 2024.
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Considering Berrada’s rule, the summer of 2026 will be judgement day for the pair, since they have struggled to impose themselves on the team.
Zirkzee is at least a big dressing room influence and can impact the odd game by coming off the bench, also offering something as a striker that neither Sesko nor Mbeumo does.
Ugarte, on the other hand, has somehow become even more of a fringe entity under Carrick than he already was under Amorim.
After getting nine minutes off the bench against City, he was snubbed completely against Arsenal.
As Mainoo continues to build match fitness with regular games, Ugarte’s minutes will only decrease, and with a midfield rebuild on the horizon for the summer, it’s hard to see a way back for the Uruguayan.
Combine that falling squad status with the transfer plans and Berrada’s transfer rule, and it’s becoming clear that any summer rebuild at United will be kicked off with Ugarte’s sale.
As Berrada said previously, two years is all you get. Ugarte has had his time.
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