Michael Carrick will become the permanent head coach. (Image: Getty Images)
Michael Carrick could get his dream permanent start at Manchester United if Manchester United are able to sign Sporting CP’s Maxi Araujo for £69 million. The former club captain is in talks to remain manager at Old Trafford, with a two-year deal expected to be finalized shortly.
What Carrick needs this summer is support from United’s hierarchy, with last year’s recruits proving their worth throughout the campaign. Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko excelled in attack, while Senne Lamence also showed ability between the posts.
United’s board could maintain this positive momentum in the transfer market by securing a long-term successor to the combative Luke Shaw.
The experienced defender scored the team’s first goal in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon and is expected to remain an integral part of the squad next season, even if he does not play every game.
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Araujo is a man who could play the left-back position at United. According to reports in Portugal, the club expressed interest in the 26-year-old in early May and have contacted his agent about a possible deal.
The Sporting CP star has been active in Portuguese La Liga since joining the club two years ago. He played in 91 games, scoring 11 goals and providing 13 assists. Other clubs are also said to be monitoring Araujo’s situation, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.
Araujo has previously expressed ambitions to play in the Premier League in the future, but that would be with Josep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The full-back revealed his desire to work under Guardiola after current Arsenal striker Victor Goqueres scored a hat-trick for Portugal in 2024 in Sporting’s 4-1 win over City in the Champions League.
Maxi Araujo is a target for Manchester United. (Image: Getty Images)
When asked if he would like to join the Spanish team in the future, Araujo said: “I hope so, I hope so… I asked him to take a picture and we talked for a few minutes and he congratulated me. I’m very happy about that. We talked about the match but nothing more.”
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However, manager Guardiola will be leaving City at the end of this season.
Despite his eagerness to represent United’s rivals, Araujo has another connection to the club through former head coach Ruben Amorim. The two worked together in Amorim’s final months before his move to Manchester, and he had considerable respect for his former boss.
Reflecting on his relationship with the 41-year-old, Araujo said: “For me, in the short amount of time I’ve worked with him, I’ve always felt an incredible, great atmosphere.
“He was always in a good mood. He was a great coach and I loved working with him because the players who played and the players who didn’t play were all focused on the same goal. And I think sometimes in big teams it’s not so easy to achieve that. Things don’t always happen that way.”
This season, the 26-year-old has made 45 appearances for Sporting, scoring seven goals and providing five assists. The £69m termination fee imposed by his current club could be a hindrance for United, but Carrick will be hoping for significant financial support from the top flight this summer and beyond as he seeks to restore glory to Old Trafford.
