(Credit: Imago)

James Murray

Tue 19 May 2026 7:45, UK

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Michael Carrick is facing a “big” summer transfer window as he closes in on being appointed as Manchester United’s permanent manager. 

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider Old Trafford chiefs believe they can continue to compete with a lower wage bill than their rivals next season.

Man United have secured a third-place finish in the Premier League following their 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday (17 May).

Carrick has overseen a strong run of form since his appointment in January, with the Old Trafford favourite in talks over a two-year deal to become the permanent boss.

Meanwhile, Man United are set for a financial boost after securing their return to the Champions League following their improved results on the pitch. 

Why Man United are making right decision with Michael Carrick appointment

Man United will earn a guaranteed £37million after qualifying for next season’s Champions League. 

That figure will increase depending on how the Manchester giants perform on the pitch, with significant prize money on offer and Uefa’s value pillar payments providing a further boost. 

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson discussed the decision to appoint Carrick on a permanent basis.

“It definitely makes sense,” said Borson.

“I wrote when he was appointed that if he managed to get them into the Champions League, then he was going to get the job. It’s the right decision.

“I doubt he’s the best manager around. It looks a lot like Solskjaer. People are trying to reframe the Solskjaer situation as a success, which is wrong. That’s wide of the mark. But can Carrick take them to the next level? That’s the question.” 

How Man United’s wage bill could be impacted next season

Borson insisted Man United could struggle to compete with a lower wage bill, with their total standing at £313m last season.

“This summer is going to be big for the club because they’ve been working over the last couple of years, really in the INEOS era, to bring down the wage bill quite materially,” said Borson.

“Nobody has managed to consistently compete with a wage bill of the level that United now have relative to City, Arsenal and Liverpool. That will be their big challenge.

“I expect that they’ll try and do things, and they’ll believe that they can do things smarter than other people that can keep their wage bill materially lower than those clubs and still compete.

“I would suggest that it’s pretty unlikely that that’s the case because history tells you that it’s very hard to do. The only team that came close to managing it were Spurs consistently. Villa have done it over the last two or three years, but it’s not easy to do it every season.”