Carrick says Manchester United can turn a smaller transfer outlay into a Premier League challenge

Michael Carrick believes Manchester United can compete with the leading sides in the Premier League this season despite spending less than several of their principal rivals in the transfer market.

United recruited three midfielders during the summer window at a combined cost of about £150m. Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham spent more on transfer fees, but Carrick is confident his side can match the traditional ‘big six’ on the pitch.

“I definitely feel we are capable of competing,” Carrick said in comments highlighted by ESPN before Manchester United’s meeting with Everton on Sunday.

The United manager said the key would be finding the right balance within the squad and making the most of the quality already available to him.

“I think the challenge is just getting the right dynamics, finding the right balance, putting the right group together and getting the best out of the players in that group to enhance the rest of the team,” he said.

Carrick accepted that financial strength could influence a club’s prospects, but argued that transfer spending alone did not determine success.

“I understand that, ultimately, the amount of money can be an important thing. But it does not always have to be the answer, although it can be,” he added.

He said he was “largely happy” with United’s squad following the conclusion of the transfer window on Tuesday.

Carrick believes the club made the best possible use of its available resources when signing Andre Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba. He also stressed that winning matches depended on more than the amount paid to assemble a team.

“Money is one thing, what you do with it is another, and how you make the most of it is another,” said Carrick.

“Ultimately, it is about what happens on the pitch. We keep giving what we can, doing our best, and continuing to try to win.”

Manchester United committed most of their 2025 transfer budget to the recruitment of three forwards. The club’s midfield has since been reshaped this summer, while there has been speculation that strengthening the defence could become the priority in 2027.

Carrick declined to disclose United’s plans for future transfer windows, but said the club had a “clear idea” of the squad it wanted to build.

“There is a process of development aimed at improving things all the time,” he said. “That also depends on how the season goes, the level of performance, injuries, who is playing well and what the future looks like.”

He added that many factors would influence the club’s decisions as the season progressed.

“There are obviously a lot of things that go into it, and we are trying to improve step by step,” said Carrick.

United will assess their needs as the campaign develops, with Carrick insisting that the club already has a longer-term direction in mind.

“We will see how the season goes and what we need to develop, but clearly we have a clear idea of what we want to look like after this summer, and then a little further ahead in the longer term,” he said.