Michael Carrick will have to be without some of his star players for pre-season training this week (Image: Getty)
Manchester United will be without at least five players as the Red Devils resume club duties for pre-season training on Thursday. Michael Carrick will this week oversee his first pre-season campaign as United manager ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Expectations are high at Old Trafford following Carrick’s display of football in the Champions League, where they finished third last season. United’s remarkable transformation under the former midfielder earned him a permanent two-year contract with an option for a further 12 months.
United’s opening pre-season game will be against Wrexham on Saturday 18th July. The Premier League giants will face the likes of Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan before kicking off the domestic season away to Hull City on Saturday 22nd August. Carrick will no doubt be keen to step into the permanent role this month, but will likely do so without a few key players due to his involvement in the World Cup.
England players Marcus Rashford and Koby Mainoo are expected to be absent on Thursday, with England set to face Norway in the competition’s quarter-finals on Saturday. Rashford, 28, is expected to return to Manchester after his World Cup appearance, but his future remains uncertain.
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Lisandro Martinez, who represented Argentina in two consecutive World Cups, will also be absent. For Belgium, goalkeeper Senne Lamence stood in for Thibaut Courtois throughout the tournament, and Rudi Garcia’s side advanced to the quarter-finals with a convincing 4-1 victory over the United States on Tuesday.
Marcus Rashford and Koby Mainu are on World Cup duty with England. (Image: Getty)
Nousser Mazraoui was outstanding for Morocco’s match against France on Thursday. It remains to be seen whether the United players who were eliminated in the earlier rounds will return to Carrington. Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot’s World Cup ambitions suffered a crushing defeat on Monday as Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16. Mikel Merino’s stoppage time goal proved to be enough to eliminate neighbors Iberia.
Turkey, led by Altay Bayndir, failed to advance through the group stages, while Scotland, led by Tyler Fletcher, endured the same result. Amad reached the finals with Ivory Coast and also found the back of the net in the last-32 match against Norway, but the African nation ultimately lost 2-1.
Matheus Cunha’s first World Cup ended in a crushing defeat for Brazil as they lost 2-1 to Norway, with Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland scoring a late goal to take his tally to seven in his debut tournament. Manuel Ugarte’s summer ended particularly cruelly, as Uruguay not only were eliminated in the group stage, but also suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Spain. This setback is expected to keep him out of action for several months.
Harry Maguire was not selected for Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. (Image: Getty)
Carrick could use Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Harry Maguire after manager Thomas Tuchel ignored the English trio when naming his Three Lions squad. Maguire represents the most obvious omission, along with Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, and the United defender made his feelings abundantly clear on social media after the squad was announced.
The 33-year-old player revealed on Instagram how “disappointed” he was, writing: “After the season so far, I was confident that I could play a key role for my country this summer. I am shocked and disappointed by the decision. I have loved nothing more than wearing that shirt and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer.”
Maguire has made a remarkable resurgence in his United career since Carrick took over in January and put pen to paper on a new contract in April, securing his place at Old Trafford for another season.
