Manchester United’s central defender quintet of Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Harry Maguire, Matthijs De Ligt and Lisandro Martínez: an ideal blend of youthful zest and experienced winners or a unit that may prove vulnerable and injury-prone across the long months of the campaign?
In Yoro, Heaven, Maguire, De Ligt, and Martínez, Michael Carrick can talk of high potential and seasoned operators who will patrol the manager’s backline safely. Except it would be understandable if the 44-year-old privately has any concerns about the five defenders, as a unit, especially as there is no plan to strengthen the position unless one (or more) departs.
Carrick is after all entering a debut full season as manager and will be leading United on four fronts for a first time: in the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and, after two years, the Champions League.
When taking temporary charge last January, following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, Carrick had only 17 league matches to negotiate, as United were out of all other competitions. The job he executed impressed. Carrick wiped away the angst and chaos left behind by Amorim. He lifted United from seventh with 32 points, nine behind Aston Villa in third place, where the team finished by the end of the season.
The coming term, though, is the acid test that may expose a callowness at elite level that totals only 20 games piloting United, including the three of his previous temporary incumbency. So being difficult to beat is a fundamental requirement. In those 17 matches last year, United lost only twice – the 2-1 reverses to Newcastle and Leeds – and conceded 18 times.
Yet closer scrutiny of the five whose task is to secure the rearguard’s middle – the fullbacks Noussair Mazraoui, Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw can operate there, too – throws up uncomfortable questions regarding a zone that requires surety and confidence, as a vital foundation for the side’s success.
Yoro, 20, and Heaven, 19, are young and yet to progress beyond the potential stage of their nascent careers. For each the answer to how soon they should mature into cast-iron performers has to be now.
Yoro, with 66 appearances since joining in July 2024 from Lille for £52m, is the more senior but has been lightweight, at times, and prone to the occasional error. After two seasons, needing time to bed in can no longer be mitigation, so the hope is Yoro’s 6ft 3in frame, serious turn of pace, and calm style will elevate his game.
Heaven, who signed in February 2025 from Arsenal for a nominal fee, made 11 league starts last season and is blessed with technique, recovery speed, and a more physical 6ft 2inch build. He says: “I’m young and I’ve got to be patient, especially in my position. You don’t see a lot of 19-year-olds playing week in, week out. I know it’s nothing personal. I’m waiting for my opportunity.”
Maguire is at the opposite end of the career spectrum. A player who at 33 possesses guile and a defend-first ethos yet is one-paced and may soon creak. Left at home by Thomas Tuchel for England’s World Cup campaign, the former United captain offers leadership.
Under Carrick, Maguire would expect to enter the season as first-choice, alongside Martínez. Except the 28-year-old, who is in his prime, remains plagued by injury, being forced off before halftime of Argentina’s 1-0 World Cup final loss to Spain with a muscle problem, so his fitness for the season-opener at Hull is in the balance.
After a starring role in United’s 2-1 defeat of Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, Pep Guardiola called him “a top-five centre-back in the world”. But however good “The Butcher” is, Carrick cannot rely on him if availability is a struggle.
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De Ligt’s physical robustness may be an even greater concern for the manager. The 26-year-old has not featured since the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on 30 November due to a back injury that was finally operated on in May.
Speaking after the procedure, he said: “Since November I have done everything, pushing myself in every session and exploring every option, to get back to doing what I love, playing football.” The aim is for De Ligt, who boasts league-winners medals from the Netherlands (with Ajax), Italy (Juventus) and Germany (Bayern Munich), to be back early in the season.
Yet the uncertainty regarding De Ligt, Maguire, Martínez, Yoro and Heaven is mirrored by the club’s so far unconvincing summer window, particularly compared with their rivals.
City, with Elliot Anderson for £116m and possibly also Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85m, Chelsea (Morgan Rogers, £117m), and Tottenham (Sandro Tonali, £100m with add-ons, Mateus Fernandes, £85m) have all splurged big, while Arsenal target Bruno Guimarães (circa £70-80m) and Vinícius Júnior (£140-50m). United’s major signings compass the triggering of a £35m release-clause for Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans, a 29-year-old with 13 years in his legs and who they faced no competition for, plus the £48m plus £2m Andrey Santos, a 22-year-old with 11 league starts last season for Chelsea.
There are still five weeks of the market left so the picture may have changed significantly by 1 September. But at the moment, making a case for a fit-for-purpose defence – as with the squad – is difficult.
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