Manchester United pre-season tracker: Bryan Mbeumo bags brace, Andrey Santos shines and 15-year-old JJ Gabriel debuts in win over Atletico Madrid
Updated 01/08/2026 at 22:47 GMT+1
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Manchester United will return to the UEFA Champions League during the 2026/27 season, where they will go head-to-head with the best sides that Europe has to offer. They will be desperate to win some silverware after a difficult few years at Old Trafford.
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Michael Carrick is at the helm for his first full campaign as head coach of United, who head into the new season with a spring in their step following some interesting signings.
Carrick was appointed as an interim after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January, with Darren Fletcher coming in as caretaker for a short spell in between.
United finished third in the Premier League behind champions Arsenal and Manchester City, a significant improvement on the 15th place they managed the season before and Carrick was awarded an extended stay.
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In terms of signings, Andrey Santos has made the move from Chelsea to head to Old Trafford, with the Brazilian making his debut in a 1-0 pre-season defeat to Wrexham.
Goalkeeper Karl Darlow arrived on a free transfer after the 35-year-old's contract at Leeds United expired, and Carrick also signed experienced midfielder Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
Tynan Thompson then arrived from Tottenham Hotspur, and the 18-year-old winger could be one to watch for the future, while Wales Under-21 goalkeeper Kit Margetson has joined from Swansea City.
The team's pre-season fixture list makes for interesting reading, with the highlight a match-up with current Champions League-holders Paris Saint-Germain in Sweden, as well as a reunion with former coach Amorim, who is in charge at AC Milan.
Man Utd pre-season fixtures and results
| Match | Date and time (UK) |
| Man Utd 0-1 Wrexham | Saturday, July 18, 16:00, Helsinki |
| Man Utd 5-0 Rosenborg BK | Friday, July 24, 17:00, Trondheim |
| Man Utd 2-1 Atletico Madrid | Saturday, August 01, 14:00, Solna |
| Man Utd v PSG | Saturday, August 08, 16:00, Gothenburg |
| Man Utd v Leeds United | Wednesday, August 12, 19:30, Dublin |
| Man Utd v AC Milan | Saturday, August 15, 15:45, Wroclaw |
Man Utd pre-season squad
Goalkeepers: Tom Heaton, Radek Vitek, Dermot Mee.
Defenders: Harry Maguire, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass, Jaydan Kamason, Dan Armer.
Midfielders: Mason Mount, Andrey Santos, Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fletcher, Toby Collyer, Dan Gore, Jacob Devaney, Jim Thwaites.
Forwards: Joshua Zirkzee, Bryan Mbeumo, Chido Obi, Ethan Wheatley, Shea Lacey, JJ Gabriel, Ethan Williams.
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The two members of England's World Cup squad, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford, could both come back into the fold when the team head to Ireland for a training camp.
The former is nursing a back injury, and the latter is still battling question marks over his immediate future after spending last term on loan at Barcelona.
Matheus Cunha was also involved in the World Cup for Brazil, as were Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) and Altay Bayindir (Turkiye).
It remains to be seen when they will return to playing duties, but Tyler Fletcher is already back in the squad after being called up for Scotland's campaign.
Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes are also on the sidelines for the time being as they recover from their exploits for Portugal.
What has the manager said?
In the 1-0 defeat to Wrexham, Carrick changed all 11 players at half-time, with some youngsters getting match time. Afterwards, Carrick was keen to focus on how new signing Santos got on.
"There are loads of little positives to take from the game. I thought Andrey and Mason [Mount] did some really good things and connected really well. I could see some positives there," he said on MUTV.
"[At the] top end of the pitch, just because it is a week in, those sharp little movements and bright moments that you are looking for, they come as you progress through the weeks of training. That is what it is.
"There were good signs from Andrey on his first one, he’s getting in the rhythm and feel of it again, so it was good to see him in a red shirt.
"As I said before the game, the boys have only been back together for 10 days or so. It was just about getting through today, looking for some positives, looking for some good things and knowing that it wasn’t going to be perfect.
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"That is only natural for the first one. I think the most important thing is that everyone came through it in good shape. No injuries, so we can move on and take the next step next week.”
What have the players said?
Mbeumo scored both goals in United's 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in pre-season. The Red Devils fell behind early but did not panic and eventually turned the game around.
Speaking to MUTV afterwards, Mbeumo said there is a "great feeling" within the squad as anticipation for the new season ramps up.
"We had a clear plan before the game, everybody stuck to it, and it made the game really enjoyable," Mbeumo said. "I think we work really hard during training for these types of games. The main goal is to be ready for the season starting. Everyone has done an amazing job.
"For offensive players, it’s always really good to score, for the fans, for the team, and really good to give an assist as well.
"You can see everyone is happy - fans, team-mates - so it’s a great feeling."
Mbeumo departed after 82 minutes, which resulted in 15-year-old JJ Gabriel making his senior bow for The Red Devils.
In the previous pre-season game - a 5-0 win over Rosenborg - Mount and Santos combined well in midfield, something which could bode well for the season to come.
Elaborating on that, Mount said: "I've known Andrey for a while. I've watched him from afar, since he broke into the first team at Chelsea. He's a really good player and reads the game very well.
"He's a little bit more defensive, so it allows me to push on a little bit more and work off him.
"Defensively as well, we're both players that want to get around it, put tackles in, win the ball back and be aggressive.
"I've really enjoyed it. It's a position I've played for many years from a young age. It's a position that I love and I see myself in."
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Mason Mount and Andrey Santos started in midfield together against Rosenborg
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Patrick Dorgu is keen to get more involved after injuries limited his appearances last season and told MUTV the club is targeting silverware.
He said: "I feel like I can play in a lot of positions and I trust myself in a lot of positions. Wherever the coach thinks I can do the best job, I will give everything to the team.
"We came back happy, and we’re all happy and excited for the season, so it’s nice to be back, and training and competing again.
"It’s always good to play big teams and it’s teams we will maybe face in the Champions League, so it will be good to see the level and compete with the best teams in Europe.
"Obviously, we want to compete for trophies and for the league as well, but it’s all about the first game, so we need to prepare for that one and then we will go from there."
New signings watch
Santos made his debut against Wrexham, but it remains to be seen when Carrick will unleash Tielemans.
Santos has signed a deal worth ÂŁ50 million that runs until 2031, with an option to extend for a further year. He started the Wrexham match, and was substituted at half-time along with the entire starting line-up.
The 22-year-old also started against Rosenborg before coming off the bench and impressing against Atletico. Santos has already received plaudits for his passing range and ability to play through the lines, something that was evident during his cameo against Diego Simeone's side.
As for Tielemans, he joins United on a five-year deal, and made it to the World Cup quarter-finals with Belgium. As such, he earned a period of rest, but he has now joined up with the squad.
Darlow is the other ready-made signing so far, and it remains to be seen when he will make his debut.
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