Manchester United rule out a £100m signing as Marcus Rashford returns to the squad with his Old Trafford future still uncertain

Michael Carrick has ruled out Manchester United spending £100m on a single player this summer, admitting the club must work within its financial limits while their biggest rivals continue to invest heavily.

United have already committed £85m to midfield additions Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos during the current transfer window. But Carrick confirmed that another deal on the scale of £100m will not follow before the market closes.

That leaves United operating differently from Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, all of whom have paid more than £100m for an individual player in recent years.

For Carrick, however, competing at the top cannot depend entirely on transfer fees. The United manager acknowledged the financial situation but stressed that results will ultimately be decided on the pitch.

The question has become more pressing after United finished third in the Premier League last season and secured a return to the Champions League. Carrick, who took charge in January 2026 before earning the permanent job in May, transformed their campaign and guided the club back into Europe’s leading competition.

Asked why the additional income from Champions League qualification could not fund an elite signing, Carrick said he did not have all the financial answers. His priority, he explained, was squeezing everything possible from the resources available and continuing to strengthen his squad where possible.

He also refused to accept that a £100m player is automatically necessary for a title challenge. Carrick believes the need for an expensive signing depends on the position, the squad’s balance and whether the right player becomes available.

United are still searching for further improvements after bringing in Santos and Tielemans. The club paid £35m for Tielemans after triggering a release clause in his Aston Villa contract, while Santos arrived from Chelsea earlier in the summer.

Tielemans has already attracted attention away from the pitch. After suggesting United represented a bigger club than Aston Villa, the Belgian midfielder apologised to his former club and its supporters for his choice of words.

While United continue assessing possible additions, another major issue surrounds Marcus Rashford.

The 28-year-old has returned to Carrick’s squad following his post-World Cup break and joined the team at their County Kildare training base on Sunday. Rashford spent the previous season and a half away from Old Trafford, with loan spells at Barcelona and Aston Villa following the deterioration of his relationship with club executives and former head coach Ruben Amorim.

The situation has now softened under Carrick.

Rashford is training with the squad again and has responded positively to working under the manager. Yet a departure remains possible. The forward would prefer a move, while United are also open to him leaving as they attempt to cut their wage bill. His remaining two years at the club are worth a reported £35m.

Carrick, however, stopped short of pushing Rashford towards the exit.

He praised the forward’s work in training and said his return had been positive for the squad. Carrick also made clear that difficult periods do not define an entire career, arguing that Rashford can still bring qualities United need.

When pressed on whether the forward should be considered unavailable for transfer, Carrick again focused on Rashford’s current status as a Manchester United player rather than declaring that he would definitely stay.

That leaves Rashford’s future uncertain with the Premier League transfer window scheduled to close at 11 pm BST on 1 September.

Despite the financial restraints and unanswered transfer questions, Carrick remains ambitious. Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui and Tielemans have all spoken about United’s potential to challenge for the Premier League title.

Carrick believes something significant is possible too, but he is offering no guarantees. For now, United are chasing improvement without the type of £100m signing their rivals have shown they are willing to make.