Michael Carrick has wasted no time putting his own stamp on Manchester United, scrapping the club's practice of travelling to far-flung destinations for pre-season — a tradition that had been unbroken since 2002.

United have visited Asia, Australia, and North America every summer for more than two decades, but Carrick has opted for a European itinerary for his first summer as permanent manager. The club have confirmed six pre-season friendlies across the continent, with The Mirror reporting that the decision was his alone.

A European tour takes shape

United open their pre-season on Saturday, July 18 with a match against Championship side Wrexham in Helsinki, Finland, before travelling to Norway to face Rosenborg in Trondheim six days later.

Two fixtures in Sweden follow. Carrick's side meet Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on Saturday, August 1, then take on back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg the following week.

The tour then moves to Dublin, where United face Premier League rivals Leeds United on Wednesday, August 12 — a fixture that will make history as the first match between two English league clubs at Croke Park, the Irish capital's iconic stadium.

The European swing concludes in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday, August 15, when United square off against Italian giants AC Milan — just one week before the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

Context behind the decision

Carrick's reasoning is straightforward. With a large portion of the United squad set to represent their countries at FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer, players will have had limited rest before returning to club duty. Keeping pre-season close to home should help ensure the squad arrives at the new campaign in better physical condition.

The workload ahead is considerable. United played just 40 matches in 2025/26 after early exits from both domestic cup competitions and the absence of European football. That total will increase by at least eight games next season following the club's return to the UEFA Champions League league phase.

Carrick was appointed interim head coach in January after the sacking of Ruben Amorim, going on to win 12 of his final 17 matches in charge. United finished third in the Premier League, securing Champions League qualification and earning Carrick a two-year permanent contract signed last month. His willingness to attend United academy fixtures — a contrast to his predecessor, who reportedly did not watch a single youth match at Old Trafford — had already signalled his intent to do things differently.