Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has scrapped one of the club’s long-standing traditions ahead of his first summer in charge.
Michael Carrick breaks with long-standing tradition in his first summer as Manchester United manager (Image: Steve Bardens, Getty Images)
Michael Carrick has started his job at Old Trafford and has already given his stamp of approval for the Manchester United job. The new manager, who signed a second-year contract in May, has decided to end the club’s long-standing tradition of pre-season tours to far-flung destinations.
Instead, United have made their intentions clear by planning a tour of Europe this summer. The Premier League giants have spent every pre-season in places such as Asia, North America and Australia since 2002, but have opted for a new approach under Carrick.
This is a statement of Carrick’s determination to help his former club return to the Champions League next season. That would mean juggling a far more demanding fixture list, and the head coach appears to want to reduce the risk of his squad being empty.
But staying close to home doesn’t mean things will be easy for United. Quite the opposite, in fact, with the upcoming pre-season schedule looking set to present Carrick’s side with a series of tough tests over the coming months.
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The club announced on Tuesday that its summer friendly fixture schedule will conclude with a game against AC Milan in Wrocław on August 15. This kicks off a six-game series starting with a match against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18th.
They will then face Rosenborg in Norway on July 24th and Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena in Solna on August 1st. The team will remain in Sweden and face European champions Paris Saint-Germain on August 8, before playing Leeds at Croke Park in Dublin four days later.
Speaking after it was confirmed that the game against Milan would take place on the eve of the new season, sporting director Jason Wilcox said: “We are excited to conclude our pre-season tour in Wrocław, Poland with a big game against AC Milan.
Manchester United will bring their talent to Europe this summer rather than touring halfway around the world (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
“With games now confirmed in six great cities across five countries, these games will be strong preparation for the 2026-27 season and a valuable opportunity to connect with our amazing fans across Europe. Their support is essential as we build momentum.”
Overseas tours have become a popular means of generating income and increasing a club’s profile on the world stage. However, many United supporters would argue that in recent years the club’s focus has shifted too much away from on-field performance and towards financial gain.
This summer’s preseason schedule shows a clear change in approach, with players staying in Europe and reducing the travel burden for their players. And this can only bode well for the team as they prepare for a return to European competition next season.
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Of course, there is value in maintaining global visibility and giving supporters from far-flung corners of the world the opportunity to watch United live. But after 25 successive summers flying to the other side of the world, spending pre-season closer to home is unlikely to erase United from the world’s consciousness.
And it is certainly not the case that reducing team fatigue will play a key role in United’s bid for silver. It’s a compromise that most supporters would be happy to accept if it meant returning to Europe’s highest stage after two seasons out of the Champions League.
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