Manchester United are rebuilding their midfield. But their Defense also needs work

It has been no secret to anyone that Manchester United have been spending a vast majority of their resources on rebuilding their midfield following the departure of Casemiro on a free and the injury to Manuel Ugarte in the World Cup that has ruled him out for a significant time-frame.

Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have arrived at the club and with the club still looking out for alternatives to find a number 6 that suits the profile of what head coach Michael Carrick and INEOS are looking for, that rebuild will continue to take shape.

However, there is an equal, if not a bigger problem that is sitting right under the noses of Carrick & co, but seems to be blissfully ignored by all and sundry. And that problem is the defensive corps at the disposal of the Red Devils.

Now you might wonder why that will be a problem given that Man United have a seemingly competitive stockpile of centre-backs at their disposal that possess the right blend of youth, potential, experience, and leadership. However, a deep dive at them all from an individual looking-glass, and that entire group shifts from youth and experience to one that smacks of injury-prone unavailability and vulnerability against prolific attacks.

While Carrick managed to get the best out of this defense in the 17 games that he was in charge, as he prepares to take charge of what will be his first full season, and with the added burden of leading his team on 4 fronts, the defensive corps that will be shouldering the duty of keeping the centre of the rearguard safe might be exposed to a certain level of callowness and probably exposed in their shortcomings.

The hallmark of every center-back partnership is surety and confidence. And it does not take a genius to figure out that both of these qualities are not exactly present in the players mentioned above.

Let us begin with Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, the youngest of the two. For all the good things that they possess, it has now come to that stage of their careers where they cannot just bed in, and they have to make the jump to cast-iron and reliable performers now rather than later.

Maguire and Martinez will be the defenders that will start as first-choice in that CB roles. Both of them are skilled, and offer ample leadership in that backline. However, Maguire is as one-paced as they come and at 33, might soon show signs of creaking as well as wear and tear.

Martinez is at his prime, and was once christened by Pep Guardiola himself as “One of the top-5 center-backs in the world” following his masterful performance in the 2024 FA Cup Final. However, he has barely provided the surety of playing a full season injury-free, and his injury in the World Cup Final once again puts his availability for the start of the season under a cloud.

And after all of them, we come to the most curious case amongst them all: Matthijs de Ligt.

The 26-year-old is arguably the most complete defender in the Man United ranks. He has strength, commands his backline, has tremendous tactical intelligence and is a leader of the highest calibre. But he has NOT played a match since November 2025 due to a back injury. And while he is pushing hard for the start of the season, his availability is again a far cry away from the surety that Carrick needs in his backline.

So while the center-back corps for the Red Devils does look competitive and of good quality on the collective, you cannot make a case for them being as fit-for-purpose as required for a multitude of reasons. 

Of course there is still time to go for the transfer market to close and a lot can happen, but for now, the center-back corps needs work and need to be addressed as equally as the midfield.