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Carrick Names Manchester United Squad for Atletico Test

Michael Carrick has laid his cards on the table for pre-season. The Manchester United manager has confirmed a 23-man squad to face Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the Snapdragon Cup on Saturday, a friendly in name only when these two clubs meet.

The game kicks off at 14:00 BST in Stockholm, and the travelling group blends established names, summer signings and a clutch of emerging talent eager to impress.

Mason Mount features in midfield, joined by new arrival Andrey Santos, as Carrick looks to sharpen his side’s engine room against one of Europe’s most disciplined outfits. There is senior experience at the back with Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw involved, while highly rated defender Leny Yoro also makes the trip, underlining United’s commitment to blooding youth alongside proven figures.

Up front, Carrick has options. Amad, Shea Lacey and Bryan Mbeumo bring creativity and pace in wide areas, with Joshua Zirkzee offering a focal point in attack as he continues to bed into United’s system. It is a forward line built to test Atletico’s famously stubborn rearguard.

Between the posts, Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton head a four-strong goalkeeping unit, supported by Dermot Mee and Radek Vitek. The depth there reflects the intensity of pre-season minutes and the need to spread the workload.

The full Manchester United squad to face Atletico Madrid:

  • Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton, Dermot Mee, Radek Vitek
  • Defenders: Harry Amass, Dan Armer, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, Ayden Heaven, Jaydan Kamason, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro
  • Midfielders: Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fletcher, Mason Mount, Andrey Santos, Jim Thwaites
  • Forwards: Amad, JJ Gabriel, Shea Lacey, Bryan Mbeumo, Ethan Williams, Joshua Zirkzee

Pre-season friendlies rarely come with the edge of a competitive fixture, yet this one offers something more: a chance to measure Carrick’s evolving United against the relentless structure of Simeone’s Atletico. For the youngsters on that list, it is more than a run-out. It is an audition.

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