Young talents regularly slip through the cracks at the Premier League’s elite clubs and that was certainly the case for Álvaro Carreras.
The left back teamed up with Manchester United’s academy in 2020, arriving from Real Madrid. He impressed with the club’s youth teams and was sent on three separate loan spells to build up experience; temporary stints at Preston North End, Granada and Benfica helped him hone his craft.
But despite his progress away from Old Trafford, United opted to cash in on the youngster in 2024. The Spaniard made the permanent switch to Benfica for just £5 million ($6.3 million), proceeding to thrive in Lisbon and serve the Red Devils a sizeable slice of humble pie.
Carreras made such an impression in Portugal that Madrid decided to recapture their lost talent, parting ways with €50 million (£43.6 million) to secure his services. United made a profit from the deal—approximately £8.6 million—but the defender’s rise begs the question as to why the Red Devils allowed him to depart in the first place.
Why Man Utd Overlooked Alvaro Carreras
United cannot plead ignorance when it comes to Carreras. He had already caught the eye in the club’s academy, even winning the Reserve Team Player of the Year award for the 2021–22 season. He regularly trained with the senior side, too, and was even an unused substitute in United’s clash with Chelsea in April 2022.
However, according to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, former United manager Erik ten Hag remained unconvinced by the left back despite his promising performances in the academy.
“My understanding is Erik ten Hag felt Carreras was not quick enough for the Premier League and struggled against quick players—and that he was more suited to a back three defensive formation,” wrote Stone back in July.
“There was no queue of Premier League clubs looking at him, which is how he ended up on loan, first at Granada and then Benfica.”
How Man Utd Could Have Re-Signed Carerras
United did have the opportunity to re-sign Carreras due to their £17 million buy-back clause inserted in his Benfica contract, but decided against triggering the clause during his time in Lisbon despite their left back concerns. They instead signed Patrick Dorgu for around £30 million from Lecce last January.
“My question is why, given United spent the latter half of the 2023–24 season without a recognised left back, they didn’t bring him back to Old Trafford last summer, when Ten Hag concluded Harry Amass was not strong enough,” Stone added.
“That would have seemed sensible from a business perspective, knowing Carreras’ value had risen and with a half-decent season behind him, they would get a higher fee if they opted to sell at the end of the season.”
United’s recent transfer business has been characterised by such blunders and missteps, both when it comes to player acquisitions and sales.
The Future for Man Utd and Carerras
Ironically, Ten Hag’s concerns over Carreras’ suitability for his preferred formation is in stark contrast to how current United manager Ruben Amorim would likely have seen things.
Amorim’s been steadfast in his approach to playing a back three with marauding wing-backs, and there’s no doubting the attacking impetus, energy and drive that Carreras possesses would have ticked a number of boxes. His presence may even have allowed United to focus their transfer efforts elsewhere, pushing the eventual signing of Dorgu down the priority list which in turn could have enabled the much-needed arrival of a central midfielder.
Carerras is now playing under Xabi Alonso in Madrid—another manager who honed his managerial craft playing a back three at Bayer Leverkusen. But at the 15-time Champions League winners, Alonso has gone in a different direction, abandoning his preferred shape to facilitate a front three that includes Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo and a strong midfield three that boasts Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni once injuries have been overcome.
The switch has allowed Carerras to continue developing in a back four—a role he looks more than capable of playing despite Ten Hag’s previous judgement.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How and Why Alvaro Carreras Never Played for Man Utd.
