Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has signalled his intention to continue strengthening his squad before the transfer window closes, despite acknowledging progress made so far this summer.
Heading into his first full Premier League season in charge at Old Trafford, Carrick addressed ongoing scrutiny over United's transfer activity. The club has committed £83m to bring in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, while free agent goalkeeper Karl Darlow has arrived as backup between the posts. Yet with the club still short in areas such as left-back and central midfield, and preparing to return to the Champions League after a two-year absence, Carrick made clear the business is not finished.
United missed out on targets including Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes after declining to match competing bids, and their spending this summer trails behind promoted clubs Ipswich and Coventry. Carrick insisted the club must remain ambitious without repeating past financial missteps.
"We want more, we need more, we keep looking for how we can do that," Carrick said. "Money's money, I get that. We feel like we have to be pushing for everything we're involved in, while being realistic of what the recent history's looked like over a period of time. For now, we've got to make the most of it, but we've got to push every boundary we can to be able to win again, basically. That's the challenge."
Away from transfer matters, Carrick appeared upbeat, having enjoyed a rare summer without long-haul travel. Instead of far-flung pre-season tours, United have played fixtures in Scandinavia against Wrexham, Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, before a meeting with Leeds in Dublin. Carrick also spoke of his pride in leading the club, calling the responsibility a privilege while balancing the football and public-facing sides of the job.
"I never take anything that this position and this football club brings for granted," he said.
Much of the attention this week has centred on Marcus Rashford, who has returned to United training. Despite being pressed on the forward's future, Carrick repeatedly declined to confirm whether Rashford would remain at the club beyond the September 1 deadline, simply stating, "He's our player." He also pushed back on suggestions that Rashford's familiarity with several coaching staff members was a decisive factor in his reintegration, saying it was "not a unique situation at all" and that Rashford is being treated like any other player in the squad.
Rashford's relationship with sections of the United fanbase remains strained following loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona, during which his commitment was questioned. Carrick, however, believes the 28-year-old still has plenty to offer. "Football's got different directions," he said. "You've got to manage through the states to have a career for 10 or 15 years. It's never going to be smooth sailing. But you've got to keep moving forward. If you keep looking back too much, it doesn't do anyone any favours. It's been good to have Marcus around this week. He's our player. He's a good player, and he gives us something a little bit different."
In a twist, Rashford's first appearance back in United colours could come against Ruben Amorim's AC Milan in a friendly in Wroclaw, Poland.
Also returning to training was midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who Carrick has worked to reintegrate before. Mainoo made only fleeting appearances under Amorim last season and was left out of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad entirely. Carrick, who experienced similar exclusion under Fabio Capello at the 2010 World Cup, said he stayed in contact with Mainoo throughout the tournament.
"I spoke to him all the way through the World Cup, not loads, but little bits," Carrick said. "It's challenging. From the outside we all see the glitz, the glamour and all the positive sides of football. But players are human beings. We all have our ups and downs. It's important we support each other. It was a good experience for Kobbie. It's a World Cup and that is a big step. He's still such a young man and he's achieved so much, so quickly. To be at the stage he's at is an achievement."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.