Man Utd's 2026 Preseason Kicks Off With A Shocking Loss To Wrexham — Here's What We Learned

The World Cup may still be in full swing, but Manchester United's preparations for the upcoming 2026–27 campaign took a significant step forward on Saturday with a preseason friendly against Wrexham in Finland.

After an initial group of players returned for preseason training earlier this month, United set off on an unusually Europe-only summer tour, heading to the Finnish capital Helsinki. While the club typically spends part of its off-season in North America or East Asia, Wrexham is becoming a familiar preseason foe following a previous friendly encounter in San Diego back in 2023.

Wrexham claimed victory in that earlier meeting as well. This time around, striker Sam Smith netted the game's only goal late in the first half, tapping in from close range while left completely free at the back post.

In all honesty, it was a goal conceded far too cheaply. That said, neither side produced a particularly high-quality display, with clear-cut chances at a premium at both ends — a reflection of two teams just finding their rhythm after a two-month break.

United appeared to grow into the game after the break, when a younger, hungrier lineup eager to impress took over.

Andrey Santos 'Debut'

Just days after completing a £50 million ($67 million) move from Chelsea, Andrey Santos traveled with his new squad to Finland and made an unofficial first appearance right away.

The Brazilian midfielder arrived with a reputation for composure and reliability in possession, and he backed that up with an impressive 93% passing accuracy during his time on the field.

He played only three of his 42 attempted passes into the final third, perhaps offering an early indication of his role going forward. Santos, who featured in a midfield trio alongside Jack Fletcher and Mason Mount, looks set to provide the platform from which others can build and create.

Youri Tielemans, meanwhile, will need a little more time before he's ready to feature.

Not the Finished Article

United were missing 15 players for a variety of reasons. The majority are absent due to World Cup commitments, though Benjamin Šeško continues to work on his fitness back in Manchester, and new signing goalkeeper Karl Darlow is still recovering from a procedure carried out at the end of last season. Matthijs de Ligt also remains unavailable after undergoing back surgery in May.

Players will gradually return to the fold, however, meaning those involved in the World Cup's final weekend — including Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, and Lisandro Martínez — are expected to be back in time for the later stages of the preseason schedule following a mandatory three-week rest period. United have friendlies lined up in Ireland and Poland on August 12 and 15 respectively, by which point the full squad should be available.

Nevertheless, with several key starters absent, this was a chance for the likes of Ayden Heaven, Joshua Zirkzee, and the previously mentioned Mount and Fletcher to make their case. There was also a rare outing for fan favorite third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Losing is never ideal, but with no one expected to be at peak fitness in the opening friendly of the summer, the scoreline is of little consequence at this point.

Give the Kids a Chance

As expected, Carrick made wholesale changes at the break, replacing all 11 starters with a second-half lineup composed entirely of recent academy products — led by 2026 World Cup representative Tyler Fletcher as captain.

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Several names will already be recognizable to supporters, including Toby Collyer, Shea Lacey, Harry Amass, Dan Gore, and Ethan Wheatley, all of whom have featured for the first team in recent campaigns. Daniel Armer, Jayden Kamason, Jacob Devaney, and Ethan Williams are less familiar faces. Devaney, however, stood out with his passing precision, completing all 65 of his attempted passes. Not every player in this group realistically has a shot at Carrick's first-team plans for 2026–27 — or even a place on the tour — but the experience and visibility gained is priceless.

Goalkeeper Radek Vítek, who came on to replace Heaton, appears unlikely to have a long-term future at Old Trafford now that Darlow has been brought in. Vítek spent the previous season on loan at Bristol City in the EFL Championship and could either head out on loan once more or be sold this summer.