Having stabilised the shenanigans that have taken place at Old Trafford on a far too regular occasion since Sir Alex Ferguson hung up his managerial hat, former midfielder and England star Michael Carrick is now in his first full season in charge and he will be hoping for far better from his slightly revamped Manchester United first team squad.
Following his arrival last January as Ruben Amorim’s far more flexible friend, Carrick has overseen a very impressive 18 games to date, with 12 wins and three draws and defeats a piece, and anyone who got odds on that happening on the best betting sites would have been pleased with their forethought. Although it should be said, one of those losses was the horrific way to start the current campaign as we went down 2-0 to newly promoted Championship Play Off side, Hull City.
With Ipswich Town up next this coming Sunday, he will be demanding far better and all three points especially given the spending that has again taken place in the last month and a bit on the likes of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and most recently Carlos Baleba. With the weekend and Monday to go before we hit this summers transfer window Deadline Day, there is an expectation that Carrick will add at least another face to his squad, if not slightly more, given the speculation that continues to rumble on with the rumour mill.
One of the main reported potential targets is a slightly longer term capture and comes in the shape of VfB Stuttgart’s 20 year old centre back, Finn Jeltsch. The former 1. FC Numberg Academy graduate is already quite quickly progressing his way to 100 senior appearances, and having worked his way through German’s youth international ranks, he now has six caps at Under 21 level.
Given his highly rated status he is already making a name for himself and attracting the attention of a number of sides who occupy some of the top European leagues, and although it seems that fellow German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich may hold all the cards and be sat in pole position for his capture if Stuttgart can be tempted into selling, we continue to admire both his composure and technical qualities, and have made our interest known.
With the young talent contracted up with his current side until the summer of 2030, it is very unlikely at this stage that there will be a deal to be done as if he is sensible, he will spend the next year focusing on his first team opportunities as a big move is likely to remain available next summer – and greater experience can only strengthen his own hand – and then he better comes into thoughts for more regular first team action and involvement.
Given the number of sides actively tracking him, it is speculated that we may try and steal a march here and give him a clear first team path under Carrick, but you would think a firm offer could better put us in his thoughts if he is tempted to try and secure a move right now.
For now, he was on record earlier this month as saying his immediate future was with Stuttgart, but this might be one to watch for next summer.
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