Manchester United transfer: Could the midfielder be Michael Carrick’s first signing?

Even if Ederson is signed in the next few days, it could take some time before United’s midfield is clear for the 2026-27 season.

Whichever players they sign will be hoping their inclusion will be more successful than almost all the players they have tried in Carrick’s favored position since he joined from Tottenham for £18.6m in July 2006.

Manuel Ugarte (£42.3m, from Paris Saint-Germain, August 2024. 69 games, 2 goals)

Mason Mount (£55m, from Chelsea, June 2023. 72 appearances, seven goals)

Sofiane Amrabat (loan from Fiorentina, September 2023. 30 matches, 0 goals)

Casemiro (£70m, from Real Madrid, August 2022. 160 appearances, 26 goals)

Christian Eriksen (Free, July 2022. 107 appearances, eight goals)

Marcel Sabitzer (loan from Bayern Munich, January 2023. 18 matches, three goals)

Donny van de Beek (£35m, from Ajax, September 2020. 62 games, 2 goals)

Fred (£47m, from Shakhtar Donetsk, June 2018. 212 appearances, 14 goals)

Nemanja Matic (£40m, from Chelsea, July 2017. 189 appearances, four goals)

Paul Pogba (£89m, from Juventus, August 2016. 224 appearances, 39 goals)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£27m, from Borussia Dortmund, July 2016. 63 appearances, 13 goals)

Morgan Schneiderlin (£22m, from Southampton, July 2015. 47 appearances, 1 goal)

Bastian Schweinsteiger (£14.4m, from Bayern Munich, July 2015. 35 appearances, 2 goals)

Ander Herrera (£29m, from Athletic Bilbao, June 2014. 189 appearances, 20 goals)

Marouane Fellaini (£27.5m, from Everton, 177 appearances, 22 goals)

Paul Scholes (free, January 2012. 42 appearances, five goals)

Anderson (£26m from Porto, July 2007. 179 appearances, nine goals)

Owen Hargreaves (£17m, from Bayern Munich, July 2007. 39 appearances, 2 goals)

18 deals = £541.2 million

Tom Cleverley (debut August 2011. 79 appearances, five goals)

Paul Pogba (debut in September 2011. Seven matches, no goals)

Scott McTominay (debut May 2017. 255 appearances, 29 goals)

James Garner (debut February 2019. seven games, no goals)

Kobe Maino (debut January 2023. 102 appearances, eight goals)

Toby Collier (debut August 2024. 13 games, 0 goals)

Jack Fletcher (debut December 2025. three matches, no goals)

Tyler Fletcher (debut February 2026. 2 games, 0 goals)