Man Utd’s left-back woes can be solved by a world class talent ready to return home
Despite spending in excess of £180million in the summer, Manchester United find themselves without a fit senior left-back as early as October.
Perhaps more worryingly, United knew their left-back position was the problem area with Luke Shaw regularly struggling for consistent fitness and Tyrell Malacia still on the shelf following a long-term injury, yet they failed to address the situation.
For all the immediate praise heaped on INEOS, the petrochemicals overlords are doing a very good job of using their own soap to wash the hands of the fact that they’ve had a tricky start to life while running the club’s day-to-day operations.
Redundancies are being confirmed left, right and centre, Erik ten Hag remains manager by default after they failed to find a replacement, a left-back wasn’t signed despite literally everyone knowing it was a problem area, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe would seemingly rather change his tax residence back to a UK address than acknowledge his own women’s team.
Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. We promise.
We’ve said many a time before here at Planet Football that, even in United’s darkest hours, the one thing they can fall back on is their excellent youth academy.
That’s a little more difficult when you sell a top left-back prospect to a top European side before even giving him a chance, but thankfully an important contract clause and his own desire to finish the story means there’s a redemption arc on the cards.
And United need to take full advantage of it, because Alvaro Fernandez is the truth.
Poached for their academy in 2020, the Spaniard arrived from Real Madrid while the UK was in lockdown and had to integrate under challenging circumstances, learning the language and getting used to the customs of a new country while the world around him was shut.
Evidently, that was the first sign of Fernandez – who now uses the maternal surname Carreras on his shirt – brilliant levels of resilience and mentality.
It took him no time at all to find his feet for the Red Devils once things got going, quickly becoming a regular in the under-23 side and being named the U23 Player of the Year in 2021-22.
The following season saw him head out on loan to Preston, where his progression went up another level as he was named their Player of the Season for 2022-23.
And then it all ground to a halt. Carreras was never given a chance to break through at United, even with Shaw and Malacia plagued by injuries, and was sent on loan to Benfica in January 2024 – with a €6million buy clause that was very swiftly activated.
Fans at the time knew United had missed a trick and his highlights reel for Benfica for 2024 so far is proof of that. Still only 21, the kid has proven himself with every challenge put in front of him and is now doing it for a top European side.
Alvaro Fernandez Carreras was told by #MUFC before his sale that being bought-back was a real possibility and not just an ancillary clause🩸 pic.twitter.com/zLTMnGPYY3
— United Tribune (@utdtribune) October 14, 2024
Thankfully for United, their club is a sickness. A terminal illness. Players become so wrapped up in the idea of making it at the Theatre of Dreams that all logic goes out of the window.
That’s the only explanation we’ve got for Carreras being desperate to go back, which he said himself back in December: “My main objective is to return to United and make a place for myself there.”
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We’ve criticised INEOS a lot – and rightly so – but credit where it’s due, it was their decision to ensure the Spaniard went for a low fee with a buyback and sell-on clauses inserted into his Benfica contract. And it now looks like a stroke of genius.
The 21-year-old has rapidly developed into one of the most exciting young full-backs in European football, showcasing a brilliant understanding of the game in front of him which couples up well with his already excellent technical ability.
He’s already racked up six goal-creating actions in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season and his presence at United would not only compliment the wingers ahead of him, but provide the side with balance, more technical security and some much-needed desire.
The January transfer window is fast approaching and the Red Devils already need a huge second half of the season to salvage what has been a disastrous start.
Regardless of who the manager is, INEOS need to make re-signing Carreras a priority before another behemoth swoops in and snaps him up.
He’s ready to finish the story.
By Mitch Wilks