United have unearthed the perfect successor to Bruno Fernandes, Carrick will be key to completing the deal – report

Manchester United will already have one eye on preparations for next season, having secured their place in the Champions League after a two-year absence. Midfield is the obvious priority, while the Red Devils would also prefer to strengthen at the back. And despite Matheus Cunha‘s rise and plans of playing Patrick Dorgu further up front, INEOS would like to reinforce out wide on the left as well. Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig is one of the targets, as is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers. Interestingly, The Manchester Evening News have claimed the Englishman is of added significance due to another reason. Bruno Fernandes needs to be replaced Where would the 20-time English league champions be without Bruno Fernandes? That is the question the co-owners want to solve before it is too late. The club skipper had come dangerously close to leaving last year, but as things stand, he is open to staying put this time around with INEOS even reportedly planning a contract extension. However, the Portuguese superstar is not going to be here forever and United are keen to get the right succession plan in place. And Morgan Rogers fits the bill. Interestingly, Michael Carrick is a fan of the England international, having worked together at Middlesbrough, and he is keen to reunite with the versatile attacker. Morgan Rogers identified as the perfect fit For now, should United sign the 23-year-old, he would most likely fill in out wide, before playing centrally once the Portuguese superstar decides to depart. “The Portuguese playmaker also turns 32 in September, and although he is in the form of his life at the moment, there is no certainty that it will be sustained for years to come, especially with the schedule set to become more demanding now that United have returned to Europe. “So there is clearly a need for a succession plan. United can’t be caught out if Fernandes decides after the World Cup he wants to leave this summer, or if he says next season will be his last. “Instead, the answer may well lie in the transfer market. Amid another summer focusing on Premier League-proven players, Aston Villa’s attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers is someone United are keen on, with the view within the game that Villa might be willing to cash in on the 23-year-old to help fund their own summer overhaul. Can play multiple roles “His versatility has also been on show this term, with 30 games as an attacking midfielder and 17 on the left wing. United are in the market for a left-winger this summer and if they can land Rogers, he could play on the left with Fernandes in the same team, before eventually taking control of that central position.” Villa are open to a sale, and it will be interesting to see if United can cough up the money needed to seal the deal this summer. Feature image Michael Regan 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