Rating Manchester United’s summer 2026 transfer window

Manchester United entered the summer transfer window with two very different jobs to complete.

Michael Carrick needed a midfield capable of competing in the Champions League, but the club also had to clear out the players who were no longer central to his plans.

United succeeded emphatically with the first part of that task, but they unfortunately haven’t done a great job of the second as the squad Carrick has assembled has more depth than the one which finished third in the Premier League last season, particularly through the middle of the pitch.

However, missing pieces at left-back and centre-forward, combined with a poor record of generating money through sales, prevent this from being considered a particularly successful window.

Incomings: B — 7/10

United’s midfield rebuild is unquestionably the strongest part of their summer business.

Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba give Carrick three very different options in an area of the pitch which desperately required greater quality and depth.

Tielemans brings experience, composure and the ability to dictate games from deeper positions. He already understands the demands of the Premier League, having been a regular starter for Aston Villa and should not require a lengthy adaptation period at Old Trafford.

Santos provides energy and a willingness to make aggressive runs into the final third, while Baleba offers the physicality and ball-carrying ability United have lacked in midfield.

Carrick can now build several different combinations around Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo rather than being forced to depend upon the same midfield regardless of the opposition.

Spending a reported £148 million on three midfielders represents a significant commitment, but it has addressed the most obvious weakness in the squad, also coming in £2 million under the £150 million budget they set for the midfield rebuild following Casemiro’s departure.

Karl Darlow also arrived on a free transfer to provide experienced goalkeeping cover, while United continued to recruit younger prospects with an eye on the future.

However, this was not a complete rebuild.

United remain light at left-back, where Luke Shaw’s injury history makes relying on him throughout a season containing Champions League football a considerable risk.

The club also failed to sign another recognised centre-forward to support Benjamin Sesko, who has been out injured since the end of last season.

However, Marcus Rashford’s reintegration has reduced the urgency around that position. He returned from a productive season with Barcelona and looked sharp during his first United start since December 2024 against Ipswich Town.

Rashford can play from the left or through the middle, while Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are also capable of filling different roles across the attack.

His return therefore feels almost like an additional signing and lifts the incoming grade from a C+ to a B−.

Nevertheless, one encouraging performance against Ipswich cannot completely erase the need for another natural striker.

If Sesko suffers another prolonged absence, United will once again be asking players to operate outside their strongest positions.

The midfield rebuild is excellent, but the remaining gaps mean a grade of B, equivalent to 7/10, feels appropriate.

Outgoings: E — 2/10

United’s outgoing business is much more difficult to defend.

Rasmus Hojlund joined Napoli permanently for a reported £38 million, while Casemiro’s departure at the end of his contract saw one of the club’s largest salaries removed from the wage bill, but earned no transfer fee while losing one of their strongest players from last season.

Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir were also loaned out, resolving the congestion within the goalkeeping department, and Toby Collyer completed a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion.

Several academy players found new clubs, either permanently or on loan, which should give them opportunities that were unlikely to arrive at Old Trafford.

Yet the number of names on the outgoing list disguises the lack of meaningful income generated.

Jadon Sancho is reportedly set ot join Palmeiras on a free after his contract with United came to end, seeing them fail to recoup any of the £73 million they spent on him in 2021.

Aside from the contracts that came to an end, the club began the summer open to offers for Manuel Ugarte, Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee, but none have left the club, will all set to be at Old Trafford at least until January 2027.

Ugarte’s serious knee injury made a sale almost impossible and cannot reasonably be blamed on United.

Rashford’s performances for Barcelona should have created a market, but his return may yet prove more valuable to Carrick than accepting a disappointing offer.

Zirkzee is the most frustrating case. He has struggled to establish a clear role since arriving from Bologna and appeared to be one of the most obvious candidates for a departure.

Ultimately, United have failed to generate anything close to the money that might have been expected from the players they were willing to sell.

That matters beyond this window as poor sales restrict future spending, leave unwanted salaries on the wage bill and make it harder for the club to reshape the squad quickly.

An E grade, or just 2/10, is harsh but ultimately justified.

Overall: C− — 5/10

Ultimately United have improved their team without properly fixing their squad.

Carrick now has one of the deepest and most versatile collections of midfielders in the Premier League, with Baleba, Santos and Tielemans capable of transforming how United approach different matches.

Rashford’s return also provides an attacking option which seemed highly unlikely at the beginning of the summer.

However, United have left themselves vulnerable at left-back and centre-forward while once again demonstrating how difficult they find it to sell players effectively.

This was not a disastrous window because the players who arrived should make United better immediately rather than needed time to adjust to the competitions thanks to prioritising players with Premier League experience.

However, it was not a great window either because a truly successful rebuild requires clubs to be as decisive with departures as they are with signings.

A C−, equivalent to 5/10, is therefore the fairest overall assessment as despite the significant progress in midfield, it’s undermined by incomplete squad planning in other positions and from extremely poor sales.