Michael Carrick responds to criticism over United’s ambition in transfer market | OneFootball

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Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has defended the club’s reluctance to breach the £100m mark in the transfer market, a tactic that has sparked doubts about their ambitions.

Prudence

Under INEOS, United have demonstrated a disciplined approach to negotiations, refusing to be pressured into overpaying for targets, a marked departure from the club’s historical transfer dealings.

Earlier in the current window, United walked away from deals for Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.  The three are believed to have been top targets, but they have since moved to rival teams.

Anderson joined Manchester City for an eye-watering £116m, while Tonali and Fernandes both signed for Tottenham Hotspur for £100m and £85m respectively.

United remain the only traditional ‘big six’ club not to spend £100m or more on a player.

United have made money from the exits of Rasmus Hojlund, Radek Vitek and the sell-on from Mason Greenwood’s switch to Fenerbahce, but they are still showing little sign of making moves to make big-money signings.

Carrick’s view

The 45-year-old coach said when asked if United may be lacking ambition, “Money’s money, I get that. It’s still about the football, and that’s where the competition lies.”

“There’s a balance of responsibility of this club, and what we feel naturally as a group anyway, is to try and win games and be successful.”

“We feel like we’ve got to be pushing for everything that we’re involved in, being realistic of what the recent history’s looked like as well.”

Carrick continued, “But then the confidence we’ve taken from the last few months, and what we achieved in the league.”

“We’ve got to push everything in every boundary that we can to be able to win again, basically. Whether that’s this season or hopefully the one after. We want it to be as soon as possible.”

Carrick and his players are next in action on Saturday when they face Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan.