Carrick raises the challenge: Manchester United need new signings

Urgent demands

Michael Carrick, the Manchester United manager, has confirmed that his side needs to complete more deals before the transfer deadline, stressing the need to keep working to strengthen the squad.

United have so far spent £85 million to bring in Andre Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.

With less than three weeks left before the window closes on 1 September, Carrick insists the club must get more business done to add fresh options and bolster the roster.

Speaking from United's pre-season training camp in County Kildare, Ireland, Carrick said: "We are very happy with the players we have signed, and that is the most important thing above all else."

He added: "I think we have improved the group, and improved the team in different ways, in terms of balance, quality and the direction we want to go in. I think we have made very good signings, and we have already got some very, very, very special players. So we are pleased with that."

Carrick continued: "We always want to improve, and we want, you know, more, and we need more, and we keep looking at how to achieve that, and this never stops. We are aware of it, and we have to keep pushing."

United have been strongly linked with a new left-back, and Newcastle's Lewis Hall is among the names being touted.

Sources have told ESPN that the club is also weighing up a third midfielder after Casemiro's departure and the knee ligament injury to Manuel Ugarte, which will keep the Uruguayan out for most of the season.

"There are one or two positions we want to improve, and we feel there is the potential to do that," Carrick said, adding that he would not "put any numbers" on how many new arrivals the team needs over the next 18 days.

He explained: "But again, it has to be something we can do that makes us better and improves the group, whether that is in terms of quality or adding more depth. That is something we have to manage. And that is very clear."

Money has come back in through Rasmus Hojlund's permanent move to Napoli and Radek Vitek's switch to Middlesbrough, along with a sell-on clause triggered by Mason Greenwood's transfer from Marseille to Fenerbahce. That leaves United's net spend this summer at around £30 million.

Sources close to the club insist there are funds available in the final weeks of the window, and that United had the financial muscle to match Tottenham's £85 million offer for Mateus Fernandes before pulling out of the deal.

Tottenham then spent again to sign Sandro Tonali. That leaves United as the only club among the traditional big six yet to spend £100 million on a single player.

Carrick hinted the club may have to find a different way to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.

He said: "Money is money, and I understand that. But it is still about football, and that is where the competition lies."

He continued: "We feel we have to compete for everything we are involved in, while being aware of certain things, and being realistic about what the recent history has been as well, and this takes a period of time, but at the same time, the confidence we have gained over the past few months, and what we have sort of achieved in the league."

He went on: "There are a lot of things that go into that, but the situation is what it is as well, whether it relates to financial matters or anything else. Right now, we have to make the most of that, but we have to keep pushing, really, and push everything to the maximum possible and in every aspect we can so that we can win again, that is the fundamental thing."

Carrick concluded: "We are very clear in our message that we need to keep pushing, and there are some things we want to try to do, but it has to be right as well."