Although the vast majority of football fans are currently pre-occupied with the FIFA World Cup, Premier League teams are starting to shift their focus towards the 2026-27 season.
Although the campaign has been shifted back a week, beginning on August 22nd, it won’t be long until pre-season training gets underway, and friendlies are being played in far-flung destinations. United will begin their campaign away to newly-promoted Hull, before hosting fellow newcomers Ipswich, giving Michael Carrick’s men a fairly favourable few weeks to find their stride.
Although the paperwork remains unsigned as of June 29th 2026, it seems highly likely that Atalanta’s Ederson will be arriving at Old Trafford in the next couple of weeks. The Brazilian midfielder has been a consistent performer for the Bergamo-based outfit and looks set to be the first addition of the summer for Carrick. Matheuas Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have also been linked, alongside defender Lewis Hall, who would be expected to fill the troublesome left-back spot.
The Red Devils enjoyed a strong finish to last season, propelling them into third spot and ensuring their return to the UEFA Champions League. With European football back on the agenda, United will need a fully-equipped squad to deal with the additional fixtures and plenty more arrivals are expected between now and the end of August. The fans will be expecting another strong season, although the bookmakers have pencilled them in as fourth favourites for the title, with odds of 6/1 potentially suggesting that Carrick’s men may find it tougher to juggle the increased commitments.
A myriad of outright markets will also become available over the next few weeks, including top four finish and seasonal match bets. MansionBet.com, which is a betting comparison and review site, has collated the best betting sites for pre-season wagering, and allows football fans to shop around for the best odds as we get closer to the start of the new campaign.
Carrick will be tasked with getting more out of his strikers this time around. Both Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha managed to sneak into double figures, although there was a significant drop-off to the remainder of the forward players. Joshua Zirkzee found the net just twice, and attacking reinforcements are required this summer.
Although Cunha is expected to kick on, and Sesko will be well-rested having not been present at the World Cup, they have been linked with several strikers, including Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, the ageing Robert Lewandowski and Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, who exploded on the scene last season.
Another name that has been mentioned is Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, who netted 12 in 32 last season. He has experience of playing in Europe, having recently helped the Eagles to clinch the UEFA Conference League title.
The 28-year-old has barely featured for France at the World Cup so far, yet he has proven Premier League credentials. He took 63 shots last season, scoring 12 times from an xG of 14.5. He’s also a competent penalty taker and is adept at tricking the opposition into committing fouls. He is an effective target man, and at 6 feet 4 inches, he excels at winning his aerial battles and would take the pressure off United’s defensive players.
Although he isn’t particularly pacey, he excels when surrounded by faster players due to his habit of holding up the ball, absorbing contact, and waiting for support to arrive. He can also drift onto the blind side of defenders, a trick which Erling Haaland has popularised. He is also unlikely to fire in shots from distance, with his game geared towards getting into optimal shooting positions inside the opposition’s box.
Mateta is dependable and rarely spends time on the sidelines. He has a good attitude, which is something that Michael Carrick prioritises and values. Whilst Sesko possesses numerous qualities, he often struggled to break down teams who set up in a low block. Mateta is far more effective with his back to goal, which would enable him to occupy the centre-backs and then bring in wide men such as Bryan Mbeumo.
His value has increased with each passing season, and Crystal Palace would demand a chunky fee for their French forward. A fee of at least £35 million is likely to be requested, although United are unlikely to be held to ransom by the South Londoners. He is an established and dependable Premier League operator, who got into double-digits last season. These types of players don’t tend to be cheap.
