A cold January haze hangs over Old Trafford, pressing against the glass of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, but inside the club’s executive corridors, tension is rising fast.
While the outside world remains quiet and misty, Manchester United’s leadership is facing an internal storm sparked by an extraordinary and controversial proposal from interim manager Michael Carrick.
Calm, composed, and increasingly confident, Carrick has reportedly taken a bold step that few saw coming—one that could redefine both his tenure and the club’s future.
Fresh from orchestrating tactical triumphs over both Manchester City and Arsenal, performances widely praised as masterclasses, Carrick has entered the INEOS boardroom with a single, high-risk request.
He is not asking for another marquee signing or a nine-figure transfer splurge. Instead, his focus is firmly fixed on one name: Mason Greenwood.
Since assuming control on January 13, 2026, Carrick has reshaped United’s setup, transforming a rigid 3-4-3 formation into a flexible, sharp, and relentlessly efficient system.
Results have followed, confidence has surged, and suddenly the Premier League title race no longer feels like a distant dream. Yet, in Carrick’s assessment, something crucial is still missing.
Despite the team’s cohesion and tactical discipline, he believes United lack a truly elite finisher—someone capable of deciding tight matches in a single moment, converting stalemates into victories with ruthless efficiency.
Carrick’s reasoning is said to be purely football-driven. Greenwood’s impressive return of 42 goals in 64 matches for Marseille is viewed internally as evidence of a forward entering his peak years.
To Carrick, this is not a gamble but a calculated move for a proven match-winner. Adding weight to the argument is a contractual detail that complicates the situation further:
Manchester United reportedly retain a buy-back clause from Greenwood’s 2024 departure, potentially allowing them to re-sign him for far less than his current estimated £80 million market value.
According to sources, Carrick made his stance unmistakably clear during discussions with club executives. His message was blunt and uncompromising: he is at United to win.
In his view, trophies are earned by selecting the best possible players, not by revisiting past chapters. History, he allegedly told directors, is for reflection; the league title is for the supporters.
From a tactical perspective, Carrick sees Greenwood as the final piece in an already potent attacking puzzle. With Benjamin Šeško offering a strong central presence, Bryan Mbeumo providing explosive pace on transitions, and Matheus Cunha acting as a creative catalyst, Greenwood’s addition would introduce a new level of unpredictability.
His two-footed finishing and instinctive movement could elevate United’s attack from effective to devastating.
However, for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS leadership, this situation goes far beyond football. It represents a profound moral and reputational crossroads.
The club has invested significant effort over the past two years in rebuilding its public image following the controversy that surrounded Greenwood’s exit in 2022. Reopening that chapter risks undoing much of that progress.
Reports suggest the boardroom is deeply divided. Some executives are reluctant to oppose a manager who appears to have the squad’s full backing and an uncanny ability to deliver results.
Others fear the backlash—media scrutiny, sponsor concerns, and fan division—could overshadow even a genuine title challenge.
As one insider reportedly put it, Carrick sees a footballer who could win him the league, while the board sees a blaze they have only just managed to extinguish.
With the February 2 transfer deadline fast approaching, Manchester United stand at a defining moment. The decision they make will shape not only this season but the identity of the INEOS era itself.
Whether they back Carrick’s ruthless pursuit of success or draw a firm line in defense of principle, one thing is certain: the fog may be lifting over Old Trafford, but the road ahead has rarely looked more complex or uncertain.
