Manchester United have announced the travelling squad for their opening pre-season friendly against Wrexham in Helsinki on Saturday, and it includes a number of big names set to feature at the Olympic Stadium.
Fans will be most excited to get a first glimpse of new signing Andrey Santos in a United shirt following his £50million move from Chelsea, but goalkeeper Karl Darlow will have to wait for his debut after staying in Manchester along with Benjamin Sesko because the club say he is in the final stages of recovering from a procedure at the end of last season. Tom Heaton, Radek Vitek and Dermot Mee will be the goalkeeping group.
A number of internationals will make a staggered return to training over the next few weeks following their participation at the World Cup, so United’s 25-man squad will be a mixture of senior players and youth-team members.
It includes Bryan Mbeumo, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven.
Daily Mail Sport takes a look at the stars on show in Finland and where they fit in at United as the club begins its first pre-season under Michael Carrick.
ANDREY SANTOS
United’s midfield rebuild has dominated the club’s transfer dealings so far this summer as they look to replace Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte, who will miss most of the season due to a serious knee injury.
After discussing a number of options, and pulling out of a £39m move for Atalanta’s Ederson, Santos was the first through the door in a deal worth £48m plus £2m in add-ons. He was closely followed by Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans, who will miss the Wrexham game as he rests after the World Cup.
Andrey Santos was concerned about his lack of first-team opportunities at Chelsea and will be looking to fight for a regular place at United
The 22-year-old Brazilian was concerned about his lack of first-team opportunities at Chelsea and will be looking to fight for a regular place at United, where he will compete with Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo for two starting spots in Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 system. It’s possible United could sign a third central midfielder before the deadline on September 1.
A dynamic, box-to-box midfielder, Santos will be keen to give United fans a flavour of what he can do in Helsinki, although game-time will be limited as Carrick eases his players back into action and utilises a big squad.
BRYAN MBEUMO
The Cameroon forward looked as though he has been keeping himself fit over the summer when he reported back for pre-season at Carrington last week.
Mbeumo signed from Brentford in a £71m deal a year ago and was an instant hit with United fans, linking up particularly well with Amad Diallo when Ruben Amorim used the Ivorian as a wing-back on United’s right flank.
Both players’ form dipped slightly after Carrick replaced Amorim in January, but Mbeumo did score in both of the new head coach’s games against Manchester City and Arsenal, and ended the season well by finding the net against Nottingham Forest and Brighton to finish with 12.
The 26-year-old will want to hit the ground running again this season and offer Carrick options across United’s attack with his ability to play on both flanks or through the middle.
Bryan Mbeumo (left) offers Carrick options across United’s attack with his ability to play on both flanks or through the middle
HARRY MAGUIRE
The 33-year-old defender must set aside his disappointment over missing out on England’s squad for the World Cup and focus on having another good season for United after he signed a new one-year contract in April.
With Matthijs de Ligt still recovering from back surgery, Maguire’s experience and aerial dominance will be valuable on the right side of central defence.
He was particularly impressive under Carrick in the second half of last season after returning from injury as Amorim was sacked in January.
Maguire will be hoping to play well enough again to convince United to trigger the 12-month option on his new contract.
Harry Maguire’s experience and aerial dominance will be valuable for United
MASON MOUNT
Mount has endured a stop-start United career since signing from Chelsea for £60m in 2023, and will be determined to make sure this is the season he makes a significant impact at the club after entering the final two years of his contract.
It’s an indication of Mount’s relatively slow progress that his best position in this United team still isn’t clear after three years: as a wide attacker, a central midfielder or the No 10 role.
The 27-year-old will want to put down a marker in pre-season to show that he can be a versatile option for Carrick next season as United face a much more demanding fixture list as they return to Champions League action.
Mason Mount has failed to nail down a regular starting spot for United
LUKE SHAW
Another of United’s England internationals to be overlooked for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup, Shaw could count himself unlucky after a strong 2025-26 campaign.
He started every single Premier League game for United last season, which was some achievement for a 31-year-old who has struggled with injury in the past. It’s unrealistic to think he could withstand the same workload again – especially with United back in Europe – and the club are in the market for another left back this summer.
Shaw is United’s longest-serving player, having joined the club from Southampton 12 years ago in a deal worth up to £31m, but he will be out of contract next June. United are likely to decide before the end of the year whether to offer him a new one which would be likely to involve the player taking a pay-cut.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE
The Dutchman has struggled to hold down a regular place at United, making 27 starts in the two years since he arrived from Bologna for £36.5m.
Like Mount, the fact he doesn’t have a clearly defined role in the team has worked against him, with no room in the 4-2-3-1 formation for a ‘second striker’.
Zirkzee’s opportunities were limited after United signed Benjamin Sesko last summer, with Amorim and Carrick often using Mbeumo or Matheus Cunha through the middle instead of Zirkzee when Sesko didn’t play.
United would like to sign another forward this summer and that would appear to be dependent on finding a new club for the 25-year-old.
Joshua Zirkzee has struggled to hold down a regular place at United, making 27 starts in the two years
LENY YORO
After a first season at United disrupted by a metatarsal injury, Yoro made more than half his 33 appearances last term off the bench.
But the young French defender is very highly rated by the United hierarchy, and he will be aiming to kick on this season and show he can be the long-term successor to Maguire and De Ligt on the right side of central defence.
PATRICK DORGU
Signed as a left wing-back for Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system, Dorgu has shown more promise in a more advanced role on both flanks.
The young Dane scored in Carrick’s first two games against Manchester City and Arsenal – the latter a stunning strike at the Emirates – having also volleyed the winner against Newcastle at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
With United looking to sign a left back and possibly a left-sided forward as well, it will be interesting to see where Dorgu fits into Carrick’s plans next season.
It will be interesting to see where Patrick Dorgu fits into his manager’s plans for the coming season
AYDEN HEAVEN
After spending much of last season on the bench, Heaven’s best spell came when he started nine out of 10 games under three different managers in December and January as Amorim’s reign came to an end and the Portuguese was replaced by caretaker Darren Fletcher and then Carrick.
The 19-year-old would no doubt have liked to have featured more regularly and will get a chance to stake his claim on the left side of central defence in pre-season with Lisandro Martinez reaching the World Cup final for Argentina and not due to return to United until shortly before the new campaign kicks off against Hull on August 22.
