Carrick trying to emulate PSG’s winning formula with United fan favourite set for a new role – report

Manchester United may have qualified for the Champions League courtesy of their third-place finish last season, but Michael Carrick was far from pleased with certain aspects. The new head coach wants the Red Devils to be more dominant on the ball, something fans saw in a handful of games when the then-caretaker head coach first took over from Ruben Amorim. The Manchester derby and the away clash against Arsenal were prime examples of what Carrick wants from his team moving forward. This explains why he is so eager to revamp the midfield, with Ederson already signed from Atalanta as Casemiro’s replacement, and two more new signings on the way. Midfield revamp along the lines of PSG Whether the Red Devils can sign two from among Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes remains to be seen. For now, Carrick is looking at Paris Saint-Germain’s blueprint to bring out the best from his group of players. Their midfield trio of Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz and Joao Neves have been superb, with each complementing the others with vastly different skillsets married together in perfect harmony. With Ederson likely to play at the base of the midfield, Kobbie Mainoo’s role is set to be tweaked. Kobbie Mainoo to see his role get tweaked Last season, the Englishman had far too many defensive responsibilities, with Casemiro often venturing forward while struggling to track back. But Carrick wants the Carrington graduate to attack the spaces behind opposition defences to become a more versatile midfielder. Fans have seen first-hand how dangerous the 21-year-old can be offensively, but last season, the England international managed only a solitary strike. That is expected to change in Carrick’s new-look midfield. Ederson is likely to be tasked with shielding the backline with his energy and determination, thus allowing Kobbie Mainoo to express himself more freely. Exciting plans in store “MICHAEL CARRICK wants Manchester United to assemble a midfield trio based on Paris Saint-Germain’s dynamic Champions League winners. “Carrick wants United to develop a more dominant playing style for his first full season in charge, with Kobbie Mainoo’s role due to be tweaked. United won 12 of Carrick’s 17 matches in charge last season, losing only two, but they lacked a consistent style as results took precedence in the run-in. “Carrick wants Mainoo to start attacking spaces in behind defences, having scored only one goal last season, in order to become a more rounded midfielder. “United have already agreed a £35million deal to sign Brazil midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, having tied down Mainoo on a five-year contract. Ederson is a holding midfielder and would provide protection that grants Mainoo licence to roam further forward.” Fans are bound to get excited after reading this report. Now to see if INEOS can deliver in the market and whether Carrick’s master plan actually works on the pitch when it matters. Feature image James Fearn via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25