Michael Carrick’s Manchester United left Bournemouth with only a point in their 2025/26 campaign after a 2-2 draw.
United took the lead in the 61st minute, but Ryan Christie quickly equalized for Bournemouth six minutes later.
United regained their advantage due to an own goal by James Hill, but Eli Junior scored the final goal of the match in the 81st minute.
Currently, Carrick’s team is in third place in the Premier League. With Liverpool and Chelsea losing on Sunday, gaining a point on the south coast looks better.
Although Carrick’s second stint is going well (he has lost only once), there are several issues to be fixed in the summer.
This is true regardless of whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS believe Carrick is the right choice for the long term.
A significant area needing improvement is the midfield, especially with Casemiro leaving this summer.
Kobbie Mainoo is set to sign a new contract, which is great news, but he will need a partner in the midfield.
Sandro Tonali and Andrey Santos have been considered as options, but a cheaper choice might be Celtic’s Benjamin Nygren.
According to Sportbladet, Nygren, a 24-year-old Swedish international who joined Celtic in summer 2025, is among those seen positively by United.
After moving from FC Nordjalland, Nygren signed a five-year deal, making it difficult to pull him from Scotland—but United’s interest might persuade him.
What stands out about Nygren is his versatility; this season, he has played in central midfield, on both wings, as a forward, and as Celtic’s No.10.
In all competitions, he has achieved 26 goal involvements (19 goals and seven assists) in 48 matches and may soon be on the move.
In a conversation with Sportbladet, Nygren reflected on his best season yet. “It’s been a really good season for me personally,” he noted.
“The best of my career, and I feel like I’ve got exactly the role I wanted at Celtic. I can be creative in midfield and it’s been a strong season for me.”
Regarding interest from major clubs like Manchester United, he said, “It’s fun and shows I’ve done something right. I’m always humble and working hard to improve and I enjoy playing for Celtic.”
“But like every other footballer, I dream of playing at the highest level.”