Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has made clear he wants the club to push harder in the transfer market this summer, even as he acknowledged the financial constraints the club faces heading into a new Premier League campaign.

United have already spent £83 million this window, bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, with veteran goalkeeper Karl Darlow also arriving on a free. Yet Carrick believes the squad still has gaps — particularly at left-back and in central midfield — as the club prepares to return to the UEFA Champions League after a two-year absence.

The summer has not been without frustration. United missed out on targets including Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes after declining to match competing bids, and the club's overall transfer spend trails even newly promoted sides such as Ipswich and Coventry.