Manchester United are starting to run the rule over defenders ahead of next summer as they plot the third phase of a squad overhaul. United spent £215million on forwards in 2025 and £155million on midfielders this summer, with the defence the final piece of the jigsaw in 2027.
The scale of that work will depend on decisions over the futures of Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw, who are all out of contract at the end of this season. At least one left-back will be signed, and there is likely to be at least one, if not two, centre-backs through the door as well.
Van de Ven and Branthwaite on radar
Micky van de Ven has again been linked with a move to Old Trafford during the international break. The 25-year-old has been monitored by United, who now maintain longer lists of potential targets, but Liverpool have shown the keenest interest in Van de Ven, who only recently signed a five-year deal with Spurs. The fact that he is left-footed makes him an appealing prospect, and United are looking at options for the left side, with Jarrad Branthwaite again on their shortlist.
United tried to sign the Everton centre-back in 2024 but had two bids rejected by the Toffees. He has since had an injury-hit couple of years on Merseyside, but the 24-year-old has played every minute of the Premier League season so far and was back in the England squad during this international break. Branthwaite also fits the bill of being homegrown, and if he gets through this season with no major fitness scares, then he is likely to feature very highly on the club's shortlist of centre-backs in 2027.
There is also admiration for Brighton's Luka Vuskovic, who posts exceptional numbers in both penalty areas from a data point of view, but the 19-year-old only joined the Seagulls from Tottenham this summer.
Conte's clue
There were a few eyebrows raised at Antonio Conte's depiction of the kind of club he wouldn't mind joining next as he waits for his next opportunity in management.
"If you go to a club where the history speaks for itself - a history made up of trophies, league titles and victories - you can only honour that history in one way: by having the ambition to bring that club back, if it isn't there today, to fight for those goals," he said in an interview with The Athletic. "There are many clubs that have somewhat lost sight of their history. I'd like to go to one of these clubs to dust off that history and make it shine once more."
So the Italian is looking for a historic football club that has fallen on hard times. One that he can restore to former glories. Oh, and he wouldn't mind another crack at the Premier League either. Tottenham? Done that. Chelsea? Done that. Any other elite clubs in the Premier League who might need a shot in the arm? Maybe one where the pressure on the manager is mounting.
This isn't exactly a come-and-get-me plea from Conte, but his availability on the market and his clear interest in taking the United job, should it become available, aren't going to ease the pressure on Michael Carrick. The current head coach isn't under threat at the moment and there is faith things will turn around at Old Trafford once fortune begins to balance itself out, but the 45-year-old will know he needs results sooner rather than later.
Cunha confusion
Talking of eyebrows being raised, Matheus Cunha's Instagram post late on Wednesday night of the forward enjoying himself back in Brazil sparked a bit of a social media frenzy. Cunha posted a video on his Instagram story of himself mucking about with some mates back in Brazil and a few amateur sleuths decided the fact he was still partying back at home while his teammates trained at Carrington was worthy of criticism.
The reality is that Cunha, who wasn't called up by Brazil during the international break, had been back at Carrington and training as required for a while, and the post was an old video uploaded while he was in Manchester.
JJ Gabriel latest
JJ Gabriel celebrated his 16th birthday on Tuesday, but there is still no clarity on where he intends to continue his career, despite interest from major clubs on the continent. The teenager needs an EU passport to formalise a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, who now appear to be leading the race to sign him, and would then need to secure FIFA permission to do so. United haven't received a formal enquiry from any club about a potential transfer.
United haven't given up hope of keeping Gabriel and sources have said club chiefs are concerned he isn't having a say on what comes next in his career. A formal scholarship offer was made months ago and that would have led to a pre-contract agreement for professional terms when he was 17. That offer should at least ensure United receive compensation if Gabriel moves abroad under FIFA approval.
Carrington dispatch
There was only ever really one topic of discussion to go at with Carrick at his pre-Spurs press conference and that was the Manchester City verdict. United made it known they were happy for questions to be asked, as long as they were all in the first section of the press conference. Carrick has been relatively coy in his media dealings, but before the international break there was a hint of a stronger personality coming out and everybody was impressed with the calm, studious but passionate way he spoke about City's cheating on Friday.
Quote of the week: "It doesn't change how you feel in the moment. You can't take that back. Whatever way this goes, you can't take the moment back. If we did end up with something down the line, it doesn't change the emotion of the moment, you can't get it back, you won't get it back." Carrick sums up the possibility of getting a medal for the 2011/12 Premier League title perfectly. He felt the agony of missing out in the last minute of the season on the Stadium of Light pitch and no medal will be able to change that feeling.
What to look out for next week
There is no getting away from the fact that next week is by some distance the hardest week Carrick has had in this job so far. A trip to the Metropolitano is always daunting, even if Atletico Madrid's style is evolving under Diego Simeone, and it will be a mighty challenge for United and Carrick. That is followed by another visit to a stadium where the temperature will be turned up when United are in town. Elland Road is always hostile for United and the fact Leeds have made a good start to the season, as well as having the memory of their win at Old Trafford in April fresh in their minds, makes this a testing Premier League assignment.
