Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images
Michael Carrick has got Manchester United playing wonderful football without club captain Bruno Fernandes.
One of the biggest criticisms of Manchester United in recent seasons is that they have been over-reliant on Bruno Fernandes.
And, frankly, it’s true. Fernandes broke the assist record last season and has single-handedly dragged United through some matches.
Fernandes has stayed loyal to United and even rejected a £100m move to Saudi Arabia, but at 31 years old, the Red Devils will eventually have to plan for life beyond the Portuguese playmaker.
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Michael Carrick applauds the fans during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on May 17, 2026, in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Michael Carrick applauds the fans during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on May 17, 2026, in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Michael Carrick is making Shea Lacey the Bruno Fernandes successor
With several United World Cup stars yet to join pre-season training this summer, Carrick has had the opportunity to test fringe players and academy stars.
Shea Lacey has been a standout, and he produced one of his best performances yet in the 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid.
Last season, Lacey was brought into the squad as a right winger, but Carrick has profiled him as a central attacking midfielder.
Lacey has been playing in front of Andrey Santos and Mason Mount in midfield, creating a highly technical trio capable of controlling possession and playing in tight spaces.
Carrick is shifting United’s tactical philosophy this summer, and it seems a technical midfield trio is the direction he wants to head in.
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Shea Lacey and JJ Gabriel can succeed Bruno Fernandes
Make no mistake: Bruno Fernandes is still at the heart of this United project.
Ineos want to win the Premier League by 2028, and they want Fernandes to be the one to lift the trophy at Old Trafford.
But it is also important to have a succession plan for a player who has been integral to all of United’s success in the past six years.
READ MORE: Shea Lacey has already transformed into a new level for Man Utd that makes Carrick decision easy
In Lacey and JJ Gabriel, United have two extremely exciting attacking midfield prospects, and they have a few years to learn as much as possible from Fernandes.
By the time Fernandes leaves United, Lacey and Gabriel will be entering their prime years and should have been mentored by the Portuguese star himself.