Manchester United have completed only half of their transfer business this summer, according to Gary Neville. The club have made three first-team signings, with Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos the most high-profile additions so far. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow has also been brought in to replace Altay Bayindir, who has signed for Celta Vigo on loan, with an option to buy.
Midfield addressed, but defence remains a concern
The arrival of the midfield duo was of the utmost importance, especially after Casemiro's departure and the long-term injury Manuel Ugarte suffered at the World Cup with Uruguay. It's an area of the pitch that Neville desperately wanted improvements made in after United defeated Liverpool 3-2 earlier this year in May.
Alongside the need for new blood in the engine room, the former United captain also called on Michael Carrick to target a new left-back and centre-back - positions the club have yet to address with three weeks to go in the window.
Neville, 51, cited Shaw's potential struggle to cope with the demands of the upcoming season after playing in all 38 Premier League games for the first time in his career. After the match against Liverpool three months ago, the Sky Sports pundit said on his podcast: "He’s won the game and that’s the most important thing but Carrick won’t be fooled by some of what he saw in that second half.
"He will know he needs to rebuild the defence and midfield. If you’re going to play 4-4-2, which I am massively in favour of United doing, you have to have two very special players in there and have defenders who can play one-on-one. You’re asking a lot of the players.
"I think United need a left-back for next season because Luke Shaw has played every game this year and he may struggle. They need a centre-back, 100%, and they need two midfield players."
Defensive injury woes and Champions League workload
United's backline struggled heavily with injuries, as Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez both missed several months of action. The Dutchman's back issue ruled him out for the second half of the season, while the Argentine has regularly been plagued by injuries since joining the club in 2022.
The 28-year-old has missed 92 matches across four seasons at United, and with the workload of the season set to increase due to Champions League football, Carrick could find himself short of defensive options.
Neville added: "They are the four priorities right now. They’re the players I would look at adding to this squad. Look, if you could then maybe trade Mason Mount for someone else who maybe can play in and out and can be a bit more flexible across the midfield and forward line then I would say go for a fifth.
"But if you can’t, I would say those four areas are the priority and they’ve got to be top-notch, those players." United have been in the centre-back market this summer, with Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi on their radar. However, they look set to lose the race for the Colombian, who appears to be nearing a move to Juventus.
