Five players missing from Man Utd pre-season as 'gutted' star welcomed back by Michael Carrick

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Manchester United will be without at least five players as the Red Devils return to club duties for pre-season training on Thursday. Michael Carrick will be leading his first pre-season as United boss this week ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Expectation is high at Old Trafford after a third-placed finish last term with Carrick securing Champions League football. United's dramatic uptick in form under their former midfielder saw him be appointed as permanent manager on a two-year deal with the option of a further year.

United's first pre-season friendly will see them face Wrexham on Saturday, July 18. The Premier League giants will take on the likes of Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and more before beginning their domestic campaign away to Hull City on Saturday, August 22 .

Carrick will no doubt be eager to begin his permanent tenure this month but will do so without a number of his star players because of their participation in the World Cup.

England stars Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are among those set to be absent on Thursday with England set to take on Norway in the quarter-finals of the competition on Saturday.

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Rashford, 28, is currently set for a return to Manchester after his World Cup duties, but with his future up in the air. Lisandro Martinez will also miss out after competing in his second consecutive World Cup with Argentina .

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens has played back-up to Thibaut Courtois throughout the tournament with Belgium as Rudi Garcia's side advanced to the last-eight on Tuesday after defeating the United States 4-1.

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Noussair Mazraoui has starred for Morocco who'll battle against France on Thursday. It's not yet confirmed whether United players who were knocked out in the earlier rounds will report back to Carrington.

The World Cup dreams of Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot ended in brutal fashion on Monday as Portugal lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16. Mikel Merino's stoppage-time winner was enough to knock out their Iberian rivals.

Altay Bayindir's Turkey failed to make it out of the group stage while Tyler Fletcher's Scotland suffered an identical fate. Amad progressed to the knockout stages with Ivory Coast and even scored in their last-32 tie against Norway but the African side ended up losing 2-1.

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Matheus Cunha's first World Cup ended in heartbreak as Brazil were defeated 2-1 by Norway with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland netting a late brace to mark seven goals scored so far in his debut tournament.

Manuel Ugarte's summer also ended cruelly as not only were Uruguay bounced out of the group stages but the midfielder suffered an ACL injury against Spain. The injury is expected to rule him out for a number of months.

Carrick is likely to have Luke Shaw , Mason Mount and Harry Maguire at his disposal after the English trio weren't called up to the Three Lions squad by Thomas Tuchel.

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Maguire, alongside Cole Palmer and Phil Foden , were the biggest omissions as the United defender let his feelings be known on social media after the announcement of the squad as he revealed he felt 'gutted'. The 33-year-old wrote on Instagram : "I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I've had.

"I've been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I've loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years. I wish the players, all the best this summer."