Manchester United are set for a busy summer, and Harry Maguire has suggested what the squad feel about what lies ahead in the transfer window
Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire has suggested United need greater depth in the squad next season
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One of the hallmarks of Michael Carrick's time at Manchester United so far has been his reliance on a core group of players. Seven players have started all 10 of his games in charge so far, and only 14 players have started at least once.
The paucity of the schedule, with no European football this season and United out of both domestic cups at the first hurdle, has meant rotation hasn't been required. Had Lisandro Martinez not been injured, it would have almost certainly have been eight players to start every single game.
In a way, this focus on a core group has been to Carrick's benefit. There isn't a huge amount of squad depth available to the 44-year-old at Old Trafford.
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The focus pretty much every week is on the four attackers into three places, with Benjamin Sesko often the one to miss out. At the back, Noussair Mazraoui is a reliable back-up right-back, and but for injuries, there would be competition at centre-back.
However, Luke Shaw has started every Premier League game this season and has no real competition for his place, while Carrick's midfield of Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes has been unchanged for 10 games in a row, and will start all of the final seven unless injuries hit.
There are players among the subs for Carrick who might occasionally be called on from the bench, but whose chances of starting a game right now look almost non-existent, such as Tyrell Malacia, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee.
But with Carrick getting United on track for a return to the Champions League next season, equipping the squad with greater depth is going to be a focus of the transfer window in what is shaping up to be a defining summer at Old Trafford.
United will need to finalise the appointment of a long-term head coach and the midfield is marked for major investment, with at least two new additions. But United also need improvements on the left and could sign a left-back and a left-winger.
Harry Maguire offered a very fair assessment of United's past 18 months while on international duty this week, highlighting some of the good Ruben Amorim did at the club and discussing the transformation under Carrick. When discussing the appointment of a head coach this summer, the 33-year-old also spoke about the need for new players and the development within the squad.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a thorough process and it’s going to be a big summer," he said. "We know that for Manchester United we need bodies in, bodies to help the squad. We know we need improvement in the squad.”
The last two-and-a-half months under Carrick have gone brilliantly for United, but it's been tailor-made for a 40-game season. United will hope to add 15 to 20 games onto that tally next term, so to compete on several fronts, they will clearly need greater depth.
Maguire is likely to be part of that as he closes in on a new contract, and if Matthijs de Ligt and Martinez can stay fit, then the centre of defence should be well covered. Elsewhere on the pitch, upgrades might be required.
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