TA: Manchester United's unusually quiet transfer activity has its reasons; Carrick is building a stable squad.

In the ever-changing transfer market, sometimes remaining inactive can be valuable. TA points out that, by the standards of Premier League giants, Manchester United's summer transfer window in 2026 is unusually quiet.

Manchester United's two major signings were neither particularly high-profile. Andre Santos joined from Chelsea for £48 million plus up to £2 million in performance-related bonuses. Despite Chelsea's lackluster performance last season, the 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder was United's most eye-catching player in preseason, impressing with his understated and intelligent style of play in midfield.

Another new signing is Tielemans, whose importance is even greater. Manchester United activated his £35 million release clause to sign him from Aston Villa. The 29-year-old Belgian international, a 90-time Belgian midfielder, made his debut for his new club on Saturday as a substitute in the team's 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly.

Manchester United may still make more signings before the September 1 deadline, but the lack of large-scale personnel changes has allowed new permanent manager Carrick to maintain stability.

In 17 Premier League matches under Carrick's management last season, he fielded the exact same starting lineup in 4 of them, while Amorim only did it once.

This continuity also extended into the preseason. During this phase, head coaches typically rotate the lineup frequently.

Compared to Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm last weekend, Carrick made only one change, replacing Joro with Mazraoui. Although Bruno and Tielemans were available for the first time since their World Cup break, Carrick did not start either of them against Paris Saint-Germain.

For 13 years after the Ferguson era ended, Old Trafford was plagued by turmoil and instability, with Manchester United oscillating between different managers and philosophies.

One way to measure this instability is to look at the roster turnover rate, which is how much a team's players' playing time percentage changes from one season to the next. 0% represents the exact same players playing the exact same percentage of time, while 100% means the entire team is completely replaced.

Over the past decade, Manchester United's squad turnover rate has increased significantly, and they have gradually faded from the title race.

It must be admitted that Carrick's team is still a long way from returning to the title race.

People easily view the transfer market as a panacea, believing that a few big signings can bring a team back to its former glory.

Saturday's opponent best exemplifies this mindset. Paris Saint-Germain once saw Messi and Mbappe as their lifeline. It wasn't until they abandoned their obsession with superstars and adopted a more stable approach to team building, constructing their squad around a clear tactical style, that Paris Saint-Germain finally tasted the Champions League success they had longed for.

Looking at the domestic scene in England, Liverpool demonstrated the risks of an expensive squad overhaul. Last summer, they splashed out a record amount on Wirtz and Isak, only to slip from the title race to a lackluster fifth place.

On the contrary, having a stable, long-term core lineup will help Carrick further refine Manchester United's tactical style, improve the abilities of the players he has, and allow the team's understanding and cohesion to grow naturally.

Carrick's statements throughout his short tenure have consistently reflected this. After defeating Atletico Madrid last week, he specifically praised the team's fighting spirit and stated that as the team continues to move forward, the squad will "form different layers."

This is a team that has been built at a high cost, and the players are fully capable of finding internal solutions to tactical changes or injury problems.

One example is Sheshko's calf injury, which caused Manchester United's star striker to miss the first four preseason games.

Carrick did not look for a direct replacement on the market, who would likely not be cheap, but instead fielded a flexible front four on Saturday, with Mbourneau leading the attack.

This adjustment gave Ahmad an opportunity. Ahmad performed brilliantly on the right wing, his rapid breakthroughs causing considerable unease for Paris Saint-Germain, and he even provided an assist for Mböhme.

The two players rotated smoothly throughout the match, demonstrating excellent teamwork and establishing a good on-field connection. Developing this familiarity requires time spent playing and training together, and the continuous arrival of new players will only make this more difficult.

But this doesn't mean Manchester United will remain completely inactive in the final three weeks of this transfer window.

Mount left the field injured in the first half yesterday. Carrick stated that the substitution was a preventative adjustment after being kicked. However, this also serves as a reminder that the player's physical condition is inconsistent. Mount has only started 25 league games in his three years at Manchester United, and the club should look for a more reliable substitute.

The left-back position also needs strengthening; Manchester United have too few rotation options and cannot provide sufficient support for Luke Shaw. Shaw's fitness has been inconsistent throughout his 12-year career in Manchester.

However, securing these additional signings still comes after the more pressing task of building and integrating a strong starting eleven. Carrick has made significant progress in this regard.

Looking at this starting lineup, Manchester United could indeed consider spending money to bring in a more physical midfielder, similar in type to Rice or Elliott Anderson. However, there's more than one way to build a successful team, and Manchester United doesn't need to blindly follow the Premier League's current obsession with physicality and toughness in midfield.

This summer, transfer fees have skyrocketed to astonishing heights. £100 million is approaching the market value of players in their prime who are ready to contribute immediately.

In this environment, Manchester United's caution is reasonable from a financial perspective. From a performance standpoint, this approach may also be beneficial, giving Carrick and the players more breathing room, room to grow, and room to continue moving forward.