Man Utd ‘regretting poor decision’ over €50m Real Madrid star who’s ‘making waves’ – report

Important figures at Manchester United are ‘regretting’ not backing a player that Erik ten Hag did not fancy now that he is starring for Real Madrid, claims a report in Spain, with the local media in Manchester’s view on the Red Devils not having faith in the new Santiago Bernabeu ace also coming to light.

Madrid and Man Utd are two of the biggest clubs in the world, and both have been very active in the summer transfer window. While Man Utd are aiming to finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season, Madrid, under new manager Xabi Alonso, are determined to reclaim LaLiga and the Champions League crowns.

Diego Leon, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are the four major signings that Man Utd have made this summer, while Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Franco Mastantuono and Alvaro Carreras are the four new players in Alonso’s Madrid squad.

For Carreras, it was a return to the club that he left in 2020 for Man Utd, believing that he would have a better chance of succeeding at the Premier League giants than at the Santiago Bernabeu.

While the 22-year-old left-back did well for the Man Utd youth teams, the club, especially then manager Ten Hag, did not think that he was ready for the senior side.

After successful loan spells at Preston North End, Granada and Benfica, Carreras joined the Portuguese giants on a permanent basis in the summer of 2024 for €6million (£5.2m, $7m), with Man Utd inserting a 15 per cent sell-on clause, along with a buy-back option, into the deal.

Madrid snapped up their former youth player for €50m (£43m, $58.3m) earlier this summer, with the Spanish left-back making his debut in the pre-season friendly match against WSG Tirol.

Carreras played 62 minutes and impressed, with Defensa Central reporting that Man Utd are already regretting their decision to let the youngster leave.

‘Manchester United in turmoil over gifting Carreras to Real Madrid’, reads the headline in the report, which has noted that ‘Alvaro Carreras is making waves, and United are starting to regret it’.

The report has noted that Man Utd did not exercise the buy-back clause that they had, adding that ‘some important Red Devils figures are already regretting not having backed the star’.

This is just one of many ‘poor decisions’ that Man Utd have made, claims the report.

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Man Utd made ‘inexplicable’ decision on Alvaro Carreras

While one would expect the Real Madrid-centric media to praise the signing made by the Spanish club, one should note that over in England, too, Man Utd have been criticised for not seeing Carreras’s quality and potential when they had him on their books.

On July 16, The Manchester Evening News noted that among the ‘inexplicable decisions’ that Ten Hag made during his time as Man Utd manager was to ‘overlook’ Carreras.

In the aftermath of the 22-year-old Spanish left-back making the move to Madrid, the local Manchester media reported that Ten Hag did not deem Carreras ‘worthy of a senior debut’ for the Man Utd first team.

Ralf Rangnick included the youngster in his Premier League squad for four matches when he was in charge of Man Utd, but the left-back did not make it to the pitch.

Man Utd signed Sergio Reguilon on loan from Tottenham Hotspur on September 1, and on the same day, Carreras joined Granada on loan.

It was a clear indication to Carreras that Man Utd did not think that he was ready for the first team, a stance that the left-back crictised in The Athletic in December 2023.

Carreras said: “What message did United give me? That I should go out on loan, that Ten Hag didn’t count on me, that I should continue to gain experience, rhythm, and we’ll see what happens in the future.

“But it’s clear that football doesn’t end at any club and that you have to keep working. My main objective is to return to United and make a place for myself there.”

While Carreras may not be part of Man Utd’s future, the Red Devils have high hopes for left-backs Patrick Dorgu and Leon, who are 20 and 18, respectively.

While Dorgu joined Man Utd from Lecce in the middle of last season, Leon has teamed up with manager Ruben Amorim’s squad this summer.

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