Manchester United 2025/26 Player Ratings: Bruno Dominates, Carrick's Revolution
The 2025/26 season is over at Old Trafford, and for the first time in a while, the mood is not one of post-mortem but of possibility. Manchester United are back in the Champions League after a third-place finish, Michael Carrick has the job on a permanent basis, and a squad that looked fractured two years ago now feels like a team with a spine, a star, and a direction.
Here is how the key figures shaped a season that dragged United back towards the elite.
Goalkeepers
Senne Lammens – 9
Nobody expected this. Lammens arrived without fanfare and ended the campaign as one of the Premier League’s standout goalkeepers. Commanding in his box, sharp off his line, and calm with the ball at his feet, he turned a position of uncertainty into a strength. United thought they were signing competition. They found a No. 1. And he is only going to grow.
Altay Bayindir – 3.5
The contrast could not be sharper. Bayindir’s early-season errors cost United points and, with them, any realistic tilt at the title. Shaky handling, poor decision-making, and a lingering sense of panic whenever he played. It feels like the end of the road at Old Trafford.
Full-backs
Luke Shaw – 7.5
This was the Luke Shaw United have been waiting for. Fit, focused, and consistent. He strung together his best season for the club, defending with assurance and offering his usual thrust going forward, capped by a goal against Forest. The big question now: can he do it again, or was this the outlier in an injury-hit career?
Diogo Dalot – 7.5
Carrick’s arrival transformed Dalot. Restored to his natural full-back role, he looked liberated. From January onwards he played with authority, driving United up the pitch and locking down his flank. By the run-in, he was one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Patrick Dorgu – 6.5
There was a glimpse of something exciting here. From late December to late January, Dorgu’s form hinted at a long-term solution at left-back. Then injury struck and stalled his progress. If he stays fit, he has a real shot at serious minutes next season.
Tyrell Malacia – 2
Almost a forgotten man. Two brief outings off the bench, including a difficult showing against Newcastle where he was turned inside out by William Osula. With his departure already confirmed on a free, his United story ends as a what-if rather than a breakthrough.
Centre-backs
Leny Yoro – 6.5
The talent is obvious; the consistency is not. Yoro’s season veered between composed, modern defending and spells where he struggled to impose himself. He has not yet done enough to nail down a starting role. A loan move has to be a serious consideration, even if the club still clearly believes in his ceiling.
Harry Maguire – 7.5
Written off, moved on, and then quietly rebuilt. Maguire earned a new contract on merit, not sentiment. He became a trusted figure for Carrick, starting regularly and bringing a measure of calm to a back line that has been anything but stable in recent years. His experience will matter in the Champions League nights to come.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
From revelation to regression. After a superb debut campaign, Mazraoui’s level dropped dramatically. The energy, sharpness, and attacking quality that once set him apart faded. A sale this summer can no longer be dismissed as unthinkable. It feels like a live option.
Lisandro Martinez – 7
Same story, different year. When he plays, Martinez lifts the entire defensive line with his aggression and leadership. The problem is he does not play often enough. Injuries again punctured his season, and United can no longer afford to build their plans around his availability. He is an asset, but no longer the pillar.
Matthijs de Ligt – 5
The season started with De Ligt being hailed by Rio Ferdinand as United’s best defender. He looked it too: dominant in the air, composed in possession, a rock in the autumn months. Then came injury in December, surgery, and a long absence. The hope is that he returns early next season and picks up where he left off. Hope, but no guarantees.
Ayden Heaven – 8
One of the revelations of the campaign. Whenever Heaven started, he looked untouchable – aggressive, assured, and mature beyond his years. His only real enemy was the fixture list and the lack of rotation. On form, he has a strong case to start ahead of Martinez next season. United may have found a new defensive cornerstone.
Tyler Fredricson – 2
This was meant to be a season of opportunity. Instead, it stalled in August. After the humbling defeat to Grimsby, he did not play another minute. A summer exit now feels inevitable.
Midfield
Bruno Fernandes – 10
This was his masterpiece. Fernandes did not just lead United; he dominated the league. The Portuguese playmaker equalled the Premier League assist record and swept up every individual award on offer. He drove the team’s attacking play with relentless intensity and invention, dragging them through tight games and big moments. United are very fortunate to have him in this kind of form. Seasons like this are how legacies are built.
Casemiro – 9
A farewell on his terms. Casemiro delivered the most prolific goal-scoring season of his career, adding a new dimension to his game in what looks like his final chapter at Old Trafford. He anchored midfield, chipped in with crucial goals, and walked away having cemented his status as a cult hero rather than a fading star.
Kobbie Mainoo – 8
From the brink of departure to the heart of the project. Mainoo’s resurgence after Ruben Amorim’s exit was one of the most important subplots of the season. He reclaimed his starting spot, earned a new long-term contract, and reminded everyone why the club rated him so highly in the first place. A special footballer who is now making up for lost time.
Manuel Ugarte – 3.5
Every time his number went up, United fans braced themselves. Ugarte’s appearances became synonymous with the team losing control of games. The midfield lost its structure, the press lost its timing, and results suffered. It is hard to see a route back for him now. A sale this summer feels more like necessity than choice.
Mason Mount – 5.5
There was a moment, under Amorim, when it looked like Mount might finally catch fire at United. Then came the injuries, and with them a slow fade from relevance. The numbers are modest, the impact sporadic. With the squad evolving and others stepping up, it is difficult to map out a clear role for him beyond this season. Cashing in would not be a surprise.
Jack Fletcher – 5
A debut season that never quite found its rhythm. Fletcher was misused in a more defensive role against Newcastle and struggled to show his strengths. The raw qualities are still there, but he needs clearer deployment and more opportunities to truly be judged.
Tyler Fletcher – 5.5
Unlike his twin, Tyler got just one outing, but it was in his preferred position. He looked confident, composed, and at ease with the step up. It was a small sample, but a promising one.
Attack
Matheus Cunha – 8
Slow start, strong finish. Cunha’s debut campaign ended with 10 league goals and the sense that he had grown into the shirt. His movement, link-up play, and work rate knitted United’s attack together. If this is his baseline, next season could be something special.
Benjamin Sesko – 8
From “worst signing of the summer” to one of its quiet successes. Sesko answered the early criticism with 11 league goals in just 17 starts. He offered presence, power, and a penalty-box threat that United had been missing. The numbers tell their own story: when he plays, he produces.
Bryan Mbeumo – 7.5
Another forward who hit double figures in his first United season. Mbeumo brought energy, pressing, and end product, particularly in the first half of the campaign. Under Carrick, though, his form dipped just when others were kicking on. A good season, but one that leaves you wanting a bit more.
Amad Diallo – 5.5
This was supposed to be the year he exploded. Instead, it became a lesson in how thin the margins are for attackers. Amad’s build-up play remained sharp, but his finishing deserted him, and he ended the season with just two goals. The talent is not in doubt. The task now is to rebuild his confidence and turn promise into production again.
Joshua Zirkzee – 4
Flashes, nothing more. Zirkzee showed touches of class, but rarely for long enough or often enough to change games. Across the season, the conclusion hardened: this partnership is not going to work. A summer move looks the logical next step for both parties.
Shea Lacey – 7
Too good for academy football, not yet fully trusted at senior level – but that will change. Lacey’s cameos were electric, full of fearlessness and flair. A red card in the FA Cup blotted the copybook, but did not erase the excitement around him. His shot against Burnley that almost found the net felt like a preview of what is coming.
Bendito Mantato – 5
On the fringes, but present. Mantato’s involvement never quite translated into a sustained run or a defining moment. This season was more about exposure than impact, a first taste of the level he now has to reach.
Carrick’s first full campaign has given United structure, belief, and a platform. A goalkeeper to build around, a blossoming young core, and a captain delivering a season for the ages. The Champions League awaits. The question now is simple: does this squad kick on and challenge for the title, or will 2025/26 be remembered as the year they almost came back?
