Top News

Michael Carrick could be given the dream start to his permanent spell at Manchester United if the club finalise the £69million capture of Sporting CP's Maxi Araujo. The former club captain is in discussions to remain as manager at Old Trafford, with a two-year contract expected to be confirmed imminently.

What Carrick will need this summer is support from the United hierarchy, with last year's recruits demonstrating their value throughout the campaign. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have excelled in attack, while Senne Lammens has also displayed his ability between the posts.

The United board can maintain this positive momentum in the transfer window by landing a long-term successor to the combative Luke Shaw.

The experienced defender netted the side's opening goal in a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon and is anticipated to remain an integral part of the squad next season - even if he doesn't feature in every fixture.

EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page

Araujo could be the man to assume the left-back position at United. According to reports in Portugal, the club expressed interest in the 26-year-old earlier in May and have contacted his representatives regarding a prospective deal.

The Sporting CP star has flourished in Liga Portugal since joining the club two years ago. He has netted 11 goals and registered 13 assists in 91 appearances. Other clubs are said to be monitoring Araujo's situation, including Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

Araujo has previously indicated his ambition to feature in the Premier League in the future, though it would be for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

The full back revealed his aspiration to work under Guardiola following Sporting's 4-1 victory over City in the Champions League, with current Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres grabbing a hat-trick for the Portuguese outfit in 2024.

When questioned about whether he'd fancy joining the Spaniard's side down the line, Araujo said: "I hope so, I hope so... I asked him for a photo, we talked for a few minutes and he congratulated me. I'm very happy about that. We talked about the game, nothing more."

WORLD CUP LEGENDS: The stars who lit up football's greatest tournament - Buy the Special Edition today

However, Guardiola is set to leave City at the end of the season.

Despite this aspiration to represent United's rivals, Araujo has another connection to the club through former head coach Ruben Amorim. The duo worked alongside each other during Amorim's final months before his switch to Manchester and he had considerable admiration for his previous boss.

Reflecting on his relationship with the 41-year-old, Araujo said: "For me too, because at all times, in the short time I worked with him, it was incredible, I had an incredible vibe with him.

"He was always in a good mood. He's a great coach and I loved working with him. Because both those who played and those who didn't were all focused on the same goal. And I think that, sometimes, isn't something so easy to achieve in big teams. Things don't always happen that way."

This season, the 26-year-old has made 45 appearances for Sporting, netting seven goals and registering five assists. The £69m release clause imposed by his current club could prove a stumbling block for United, yet Carrick will expect considerable financial backing from those at the top this summer and beyond, as he looks to restore glory to Old Trafford.