Manchester United, in recent seasons, have been an example for how clubs shouldn’t go about their transfer business. The club has made some appalling decisions in the transfer market, signing players for inflated prices much higher than their value and failing to trust those who came through the academy.
One example of this was the story of Alvaro Carreras, during his time at Old Trafford. He spent four seasons at the club, failing to make a single first-team appearance, despite Luke Shaw’s torrid injury record. Instead, Erik ten Hag chose to sign Tyrell Malacia and play Diogo Dalot on the left, when the situation demanded it.
Carreras has since moved to Benfica in Portugal and established himself as one of the best young left-backs going around. His performance against Barcelona teenage sensation Lamine Yamal earlier during the 2024/25 season particularly caught the eyeballs, as not many managed to achieve that against the Spaniard.
Now, as per Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are holding up Real Madrid’s move to sign Alvaro Carreras from Benfica. Los Blancos have agreed a £43m deal to sign him this summer, just a year after the Red Devils sold him for just £7m to the Portuguese club.
The English club has a buy-back clause which is why Real Madrid’s move for the 22-year-old hasn’t gone through yet, although the source confirms that Ruben Amorim & co. have no interest in triggering the same. Even if they did, it is highly unlikely that they would be able to convince Carreras to return to Old Trafford. Man Utd however, need to officially inform Benfica of the same.
A story of what could have been!
Real Madrid have struggled in the left-back department since Marcelo’s exit, with Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia having middling success. The Spaniard could prove to be an excellent improvement in the backline for Xabi Alonso’s team, as he looks to mount a new project.
Carreras is the perfect, modern-day left-back. He is attack-minded, composed in possession, and has a high work-rate to get up and down the pitch. Anyone who has seen him play is likely to be reminded of a young Jordi Alba and United made a mistake to not trust him when they had the chance.
Amorim’s current squad is made up of a number of full-back/wing-back options like Patrick Dorgu, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui but the Spaniard might have been an upgrade on all of them. Regardless, this is a story of what could have been in a United jersey and it is only a matter of time before the Red Devils give their official communication and Real Madrid announce the 22-year-old.