Mikel Merino
January 2026
Arsenal’s Mikel Merino had surgery on a fractured foot and posted an upbeat recovery message, but faces a spell out with a rare injury type, per Arteta. Merino was hurt in Arsenal’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United. Arteta said the case is unusual and depends on post-surgery healing and monitoring. Merino confirmed the operation is done and signalled his intent to return as soon as the recovery process allows.
Michael Carrick
February 2026
Manchester United’s tentative talks about a revenue-friendly Middle East exhibition match have been paused, with Carrick’s appetite for the trip reportedly lower than under Amorim. Amorim previously argued the club needed commercial fixtures after missing Europe, but the current plan has been deprioritised. With a schedule gap after the West Ham match and before Everton, Carrick is instead expected to give the squad time off rather than travel.
Cristiano Ronaldo
February 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo is again being linked with an exit after sitting out matches in protest over Saudi league transfer politics, but reporting says Manchester United are not positioning themselves to bring him back for a third spell. Ronaldo is frustrated about how PIF-backed clubs have strengthened and has effectively applied pressure by missing games, while the league has publicly pushed back on any suggestion he can dictate decisions. Reports also claim a release clause could be triggered in the summer, keeping global interest alive even if United do not move.
Sandro Tonali
January 2026
Reports say Manchester United are lining up a summer move for Sandro Tonali as Casemiro nears the end of his deal, with Newcastle expected to demand around £100m and Juventus also interested. United are planning midfield reinforcements and Tonali is one of several targets, alongside Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton. Newcastle hold Tonali under contract to 2029 and would command a premium based on recent nine-figure midfield deals, and any sale would represent a major profit on their 2023 fee.
Jonny Evans
January 2026
Bryan Mbeumo said Jonny Evans helped create the set-piece routine that produced United’s opener in a 2-0 win over Tottenham after Spurs went down to 10 men. Romero was sent off for a reckless challenge on Casemiro. United scored soon after from a rehearsed low corner: Fernandes played it to Mainoo’s run, Mainoo redirected into Mbeumo’s path, and Mbeumo finished first time. Mbeumo said the routine was practiced in training and credited Evans, with analyst Kaita Hasegawa also involved.
Guglielmo Vicario
January 2026
Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario accepted that relegation-battle talk cannot be dismissed after another poor display ended in a 2-0 loss, leaving Tottenham’s margin above the bottom three thin and their league form among the worst in the division. Vicario pointed to results as the hard reality, calling two wins in 16 unacceptable. With tough fixtures next, he warned against complacency and said the team must respond under pressure. The comments add to scrutiny on Thomas Frank as the table tightens.
Frank Ilett
January 2026
Social media figure “The United Strand” says he will film himself watching United vs West Ham, with his long-running haircut vow hinging on whether the club can reach five straight competitive wins for the first time since he started the challenge. Ilett has not cut his hair for nearly 500 days under a self-set rule that it only ends when United win five in a row. After four straight wins, Tuesday becomes the trigger match. A loss extends the streak and the hair growth.
Michael Carrick
January 2026
Bruno Fernandes said he always believed Michael Carrick would become a strong manager after working with him during his 2021 interim stint, as United won 2-0 at Spurs for Carrick’s fourth straight win this season. Fernandes delivered the corner for the opener scored by Bryan Mbeumo, then scored himself from Diogo Dalot’s cross after Cristian Romero’s red card. He credited Carrick’s approach of giving players responsibility and freedom on the pitch.
Kai Rooney
January 2026
Kai Rooney scored four goals against Norwich Under-16s as Manchester United won 6-4 in a Premier League Cup semi-final, continuing his strong youth-season form and fueling first-team long-term buzz. Rooney posted the match ball on Instagram after the game. Carrick had attended his Old Trafford youth debut in January, where the crowd chanted his surname, while Kai reiterated he wants to be judged on his own path.
Jude Bellingham
January 2026
A former United defender says the club should try again for Bellingham to signal ambition and rebuild toward title contention.
United previously courted him heavily as a teenager, including Carrington visits and presentations from club icons, but he chose Dortmund. With Bellingham now facing criticism for inconsistency at Madrid under Alonso and then Arbeloa, Wes Brown argues he can handle pressure and would elevate United, likening his responsibility-taking to Bruno Fernandes.
