A lot can change over a nine-month period in professional football, with Manchester United a prime example of how quickly things can change on the pitch.

The Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town in August was undoubtedly rock bottom for Ruben Amorim and spelt the beginning of the end to his managerial tenure at Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick’s temporary appointment brought the feel-good factor back to Manchester, but very few people would have anticipated the phenomenal impact he’d have in the role.

The 44-year-old lost just two of his 17 Premier League games in charge of the Red Devils, subsequently leading the side to a third-placed finish in 2025/26.

He’s since been rewarded with a two-year permanent contract after his immediate impact, but Carrick could now demand a plethora of permanent additions to help him reach the next level.

Man Utd open talks to sign £52m attacker this summer

Despite the midfield department being the main area of improvement this summer, INEOS have started to conduct work on landing multiple attacking targets.

Departing Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović has emerged as one potential transfer target, with the Serbian set to leave the Italian giants on a free transfer this summer.

The Red Devils aren’t alone in their current pursuit of the centre-forward, as Newcastle United are also said to be making a move to secure his signature this window.

Vlahovic isn’t the only attacker currently being targeted by Carrick and the hierarchy, with Porto winger William Gomes also being targeted ahead of the summer.

According to Globo Esporte via Sport Witness, United have already been in contact with the player’s representatives over the possibility of a potential transfer.

The report also states that current Premier League champions Arsenal have also reached out to gain clarity on a move to secure the 20-year-old’s services.

A fee in the region of €60m (£52m) has been mooted for the Brazilian’s signature, but it’s unclear how much Carrick’s side would be willing to pay to secure a deal.

Why Gomes would be an upgrade on Mbeumo for United

Spending big in the transfer market hasn’t been alien to United in recent seasons, as seen by the £250m spending spree during last summer’s window.

Winger Bryan Mbeumo arrived from Brentford for a reported £71m, undoubtedly with the expectation of providing the goods in the final third for the Red Devils.

The Cameroonian international has enjoyed a solid debut campaign in Manchester, netting 11 times in the Premier League - finishing the season level with Benjamin Sesko at the top of the goalscoring charts.

The 26-year-old has often featured in a variety of roles, such as off the right-hand side and even as a central striker, but it’s unclear how much of a starting role he will have in 2026/27.

A deal for Gomes this summer would see yet another right winger arrive at Old Trafford, which could see Mbeumo’s minutes decline in the months ahead.

Strength in depth is undoubtedly needed within Carrick’s squad, but the Brazilian could make the move and nail down his place as a regular starter under the 44-year-old.

His stats from the recent campaign in Portugal highlight his quality within attacking areas - many of which are above those produced by Mbeumo at Old Trafford.

Gomes, who’s been dubbed a “world-class” talent by one Brazilian journalist, netted more goals (13) than the Cameroonian across all competitions this season.

The aforementioned statistic demonstrates his clinical nature in front of goal, which could hand Carrick’s the added attacking threat he’s hunting for this window.

The Porto star’s tally of 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 is also better than that of Mbeumo’s - arguably making him a better ball-carrier within forward areas of the pitch.

His goalscoring ability demonstrates his talent of adding the end product to his mazy runs, but his chance creation is also way above the level of the current United star.

Gomes managed to create more big chances per 90 throughout 2025/26, with his tally of 0.46 ranking him within the top 12% of all attackers within Europe this term.

Making the step up from the Liga Portugal to the Premier League may be a challenging one, but the Porto star has demonstrated his quality in forward areas on a sustained basis.

His skillset is perfect for United’s current squad, and his potential arrival this summer could see Mbeumo having to get used to reduced minutes in his preferred right-wing role.