Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox has praised the developing 'winning culture' at Old Trafford and commended Michael Carrick's performance as head coach ahead of the first pre-season friendly against Wrexham.
Progress and Objectives
United finished third in the Premier League last season, securing a return to the Champions League. However, early exits in the Carabao Cup to Grimsby Town and the FA Cup to Brighton meant a shorter campaign. The upcoming season will feature at least eight additional Champions League matches, with expectations for improved domestic cup performances.
In his column on the club's official website, Wilcox said: "Last season, I wrote about the sense of responsibility to help get this great club back to the top. A year on, we can be proud of the progress we have made towards our ultimate goals."
Praise for Carrick
Wilcox highlighted Carrick's impact: "Michael has done an excellent job and thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue as head coach of our men's team. The results speak for themselves, with United picking up the highest points tally in the Premier League since he returned to the club."
He added: "Everyone is delighted with Michael's leadership and total alignment with our club's values. The hard work continues behind the scenes to prepare his first-team squad for next season."
Winning Culture and Academy Success
Wilcox noted: "We can all be proud of the winning culture that is developing at Carrington as we continue to build a talented and determined group of players ready to compete across all four competitions."
He also praised the women's team for reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, calling it "one of the highlights of the whole campaign," and acknowledged the academy's FA Youth Cup final appearance and first-team debuts for four youngsters.
Pre-Season Preparations
United's men's team began pre-season in early July. A squad of senior players and academy talents has traveled to Helsinki for Saturday's match against Championship side Wrexham. The club has also made three new signings: Andrey Santos from Chelsea, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, and free agent Karl Darlow, all arriving this week. Santos could make his debut after being included in the traveling squad.
Wilcox concluded: "On behalf of everyone at the club I am grateful for the opportunity to directly thank you for your unwavering support... We remain hugely ambitious, and our burning desire for every Manchester United team to compete for the biggest honours continues to drive us forward."
