Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has reportedly made it clear that summer signing Andrey Santos will have to remain patient for his opportunity to return to the starting XI, with the midfielder expected to continue beginning matches from the bench until he reaches the level required by the manager.
The decision is understood to be part of Carrick’s wider approach to managing competition for places in a Manchester United midfield that has undergone major changes during the summer transfer window.
Santos arrived at Old Trafford with enormous expectations after United completed a reported £50 million move for the Brazilian midfielder from Chelsea. The 22-year-old was viewed as one of the most exciting young midfielders available, and his arrival was seen as an important part of Carrick’s plans for rebuilding the heart of the team. However, despite his reputation and the significant transfer fee involved, Carrick has shown that no player is guaranteed a starting position simply because of his price tag or status.
The message from the United manager, according to the reported scenario, is straightforward: Santos must improve, adapt and demonstrate that he deserves to start.
That stance could be particularly significant for the Brazilian, who is entering an important period of his Manchester United career. Moving to Old Trafford represents one of the biggest challenges of his young career, and Carrick appears determined to give him time to understand the demands of English football, the tactical requirements of the team and the intensity expected from a Manchester United midfielder.
Santos made his first appearance for United during pre-season against Wrexham, starting alongside Mason Mount in Carrick’s midfield. The manager subsequently spoke positively about the player’s adaptation to his new surroundings, with reports noting that Carrick had been impressed by how quickly the Brazilian settled into the squad.
However, the beginning of the competitive season has demonstrated that adaptation and starting every match are two completely different things.
Santos started United’s disappointing 2–0 defeat against Hull City, but Carrick made four changes for the subsequent home match against Ipswich Town. Among those left out were Santos, Ayden Heaven, Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu, while Lisandro Martínez, Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford came into the team.
The changes worked spectacularly.
Manchester United recovered from conceding the opening goal to defeat Ipswich 5–2 at Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes producing a sensational hat-trick and Bryan Mbeumo also finding the net. The performance immediately increased competition for places in Carrick’s team and made it even more difficult for players who had been dropped to immediately reclaim their starting positions.
For Santos, that means patience could now become an important part of his development.
Carrick is believed to be looking for more consistency from the midfielder before handing him another regular starting role. The manager wants Santos to become more comfortable with the speed of the Premier League, improve his positioning without the ball and demonstrate greater tactical discipline when United are attempting to control matches.
There is also significant competition in the position.
Manchester United have invested heavily in midfield during the summer, bringing in Santos, Carlos Baleba and Youri Tielemans. The club’s midfield recruitment has been one of the defining features of the transfer window, with United attempting to build a group capable of competing domestically and in the Champions League. The Guardian’s transfer-window assessment noted that United recruited three midfielders during the summer: Tielemans, Santos and Baleba.
That competition means Santos cannot afford to become complacent.
If he wants to become a permanent starter under Carrick, he will have to prove himself in training and make the most of every opportunity that comes his way from the bench. Carrick’s philosophy appears to be based on merit rather than reputation, meaning players who perform consistently will be rewarded while those who need additional development will have to wait.
For Santos, this does not necessarily represent a setback.
In fact, starting matches from the bench could be exactly what the midfielder needs at this stage of his development. Coming on during the second half can allow him to study the game before entering it, understand how the opposition is creating problems and identify spaces that he can exploit. It can also help him gradually adjust to the physical and tactical demands of Premier League football.
The pressure surrounding Santos is understandable because of the transfer fee involved, but Carrick will not want that pressure to interfere with the player’s development.
The manager knows that young midfielders require time to establish themselves, particularly when moving into a new league and joining a club with the expectations of Manchester United. A £50 million price tag can create enormous pressure, but it does not automatically mean that a player must start every week.
Carrick’s decision could therefore be interpreted as a long-term strategy rather than a punishment.
The United boss wants Santos to understand that there is a clear pathway back into the team. Improve his performances, adapt to the tactical system, show greater consistency and take his opportunities when they arrive, and the door to the starting XI will remain open.
That could provide Santos with additional motivation.
The Brazilian midfielder reportedly joined United because he wanted regular first-team football and a bigger role, having decided that a move away from Chelsea would provide him with an opportunity to establish himself at a major club. His reported long-term contract with United demonstrates how highly the club values his potential.
Carrick, however, appears determined to ensure that potential becomes performance.
There is a major difference between being talented and being ready to become a consistent Premier League starter. Carrick’s job is to identify that difference and develop players until they can meet the standards required at the highest level.
Santos therefore faces a significant challenge.
He must show that he can protect the defence, move the ball quickly, win challenges, make intelligent positional decisions and contribute to United’s possession game. He must also demonstrate that he can cope with the pressure of playing at Old Trafford, where every mistake is analysed and every performance is judged against enormous expectations.
The midfielder’s ability to respond to adversity could ultimately determine how quickly he becomes an important player for United.
One of the encouraging signs for Santos is that Carrick has already demonstrated a willingness to trust him. The midfielder was given a starting opportunity during pre-season and has been integrated into the squad from the beginning of his United career.
That means his current situation should not necessarily be interpreted as Carrick losing faith in him.
Instead, the manager appears to be demanding more.
Carrick’s message to the squad is becoming increasingly clear: nobody has a guaranteed starting position.
That philosophy could become one of the most important characteristics of United’s season. With Champions League football returning and the club competing across several competitions, Carrick will need a deep squad. Santos is therefore likely to receive plenty of opportunities as the season progresses, even if he is not currently among the first names on the team sheet.
The key will be how he responds when those opportunities arrive.
If Santos comes off the bench and changes matches, Carrick will have little reason to keep him out of the starting XI. If he demonstrates improved defensive awareness, better ball progression and greater confidence in possession, his chances of becoming a regular starter will increase significantly.
The Brazilian must therefore treat every substitute appearance as an audition.
Every minute could be important.
Every training session could influence Carrick’s decision.
Every opportunity could bring him closer to becoming one of the central figures in United’s midfield.
For Manchester United supporters, there is also reason to remain patient. The club did not spend heavily on Santos because they expected him to be a finished product. They invested because they believe he has the qualities and potential to become an elite midfielder.
Carrick’s responsibility is to turn that potential into consistent Premier League performances.
The manager’s reported decision to keep Santos on the bench until he improves could ultimately benefit both player and club. Rather than throwing him into every match regardless of his form, Carrick can gradually introduce him, identify weaknesses and demand improvements before giving him a bigger role.
That could create a stronger and more complete midfielder in the long run.
Santos now knows exactly what is required.
He must work.
He must improve.
He must compete.
And, most importantly, he must prove that he deserves to start.
The competition inside Manchester United’s midfield is fierce, with Mainoo, Baleba, Tielemans, Santos and other options all competing for limited places. United’s recent 5–2 victory over Ipswich showed how quickly Carrick can change his midfield and how effective those decisions can be when they work.
For Santos, the challenge is not simply getting back into the starting XI.
It is making himself impossible to leave out.
If he can respond positively to Carrick’s demands, improve the areas identified by the coaching staff and use his substitute appearances effectively, it may not be long before he forces his way back into the team.
Until then, the Brazilian may have to accept a different role.
The bench is not the end of his Manchester United journey.
It could simply be the beginning of it.
And if Carrick’s reported stance is anything to go by, Santos will have to earn his starting position rather than expect it.