United's £120m midfield 'miss' and Newcastle's Hall warning leave Carrick with questions

Manchester United’s mixed summer transfer window is drawing scrutiny after Jamie Redknapp suggested the club missed a significant opportunity by not signing Mamadou Sangare, who joined Brentford for a club-record £39m from Lens and has already been tipped to reach a nine-figure valuation.

Redknapp, speaking in his capacity as a pundit, was unequivocal in his praise for the 24-year-old Mali international. “The best business I like is Sangare at Brentford,” he said. “I think he’s going to be a wonderful signing for them. He’ll probably be worth £120m in a few years. He’ll go to Brentford, establish himself as a top player.” Redknapp went further, describing Sangare as the standout Premier League signing of the summer — and at under £40m, a potentially more cost-effective option than United’s £50m acquisition of Andrey Santos or the £70m spent on Carlos Baleba.

Santos has impressed in his early appearances under Michael Carrick, while Baleba is still working his way back to full fitness and is unlikely to feature when United travel to face Everton on Sunday. Carrick has made midfield the centrepiece of United’s summer rebuild since taking charge at Old Trafford, but questions persist over whether the squad has sufficient depth as the club prepares to return to Champions League football.

The left-back position remains the most conspicuous gap. United were widely expected to address it this summer, yet the transfer deadline passed on Tuesday without a signing in that role. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall had been identified as United’s primary target, but the Magpies showed no willingness to sell.

Newcastle head coach Matthias Jaissle has since reinforced that stance publicly, heaping praise on the £75m-rated Hall and making clear his desire to keep the player at St James’ Park. “He’s a huge, huge potential player,” Jaissle said, in comments that amount to an indirect warning to any club considering a future approach.

With Baleba still integrating and the left-back slot unresolved, Carrick faces a familiar challenge: building momentum in the Premier League while managing a squad that may yet need further investment in the January window.