United close in on opportunity to re-sign incredible wing wizard as club greenlights 43m move – report

Manchester United face a fierce battle with Arsenal and Chelsea to bring back Alvaro Carreras as Real Madrid name their price for the 23-year-old defender, according to a new report. Bolstering the Backline The Red Devils’ priority is a major overhaul of their midfield unit, having already struck a £39 million deal for Ederson to become the first signing under Michael Carrick, and negotiations are underway to make Mateus Fernandes the second. But reinforcements on the left-hand side are also on the agenda, with targets identified at both full-back and on the wing. A final decision on which position to focus on will stem from where Carrick and his coaching staff believe Patrick Dorgu’s long-term future lies. If the 21-year-old Denmark international maintains his more advanced role next season, where he has cut a transformed figure, it will leave Luke Shaw as the only senior left-back in the squad. Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall is understood to be the leading target to provide competition to the 30-year-old Englishman, though there is also admiration in M16 for Arsenal starlet Myles Lewis-Skelly. Nevertheless, deals for either option will prove as costly as they are difficult, with neither of United’s rivals wanting to let their prized assets leave, especially to Old Trafford. This has led United to consider alternatives on the continent, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown and Alejandro Balde from Barcelona both under consideration. Brown has agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich, however, while Balde is determined to fight for his place at Camp Nou. But in an unexpected twist, Carreras – Real Madrid’s 23-year-old left-back, and formerly a Red Devil – is now expected to be available after the Spanish giant agreed a £52 million deal to sign Chelsea and Spain international Marc Cucurella. A Return to Old Trafford? United are “internally exploring” a return for Carreras, two years after the Ferrol native was sold to SL Benfica for £7.8m in a deal which included a 20% sell-on clause. This then paid dividends last summer after an impressive debut season in the Portuguese capital saw Real Madrid greenlight a €50m (£43m) raid for Carreras, which netted United around £8.7m as a windfall. With Cucurella set to be the first-choice left-back at the Santiago Bernabeu under Jose Mourinho, Carreras is understood to be open to an exit in search of first-team minutes, sparking interest in England. United are joined by Arsenal and Chelsea in their admiration of the Real Madrid defender, with Sports Boom revealing the Blues are “seriously considering” him as a replacement for Cucurella. The manager who brought Carreras to the Spanish capital, Xabi Alonso, has taken charge at Stamford Bridge and the prospect of combining forces once again “offers Chelsea a serious advantage against its rivals.” Both Arsenal and United are said to be “actively putting the situation of the player under the microscope”, though no official offer has been tabled by any of the three competitors. Real Madrid are understood to want to “regain the €50 million they paid for Carreras”, which makes him a much cheaper pursuit than either Hall or Lewis-Skelly. Featured image Angel Martinez 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 Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.