Michael Carrick has already made it clear that he is not afraid to take a different approach as the manager of Manchester United.

The former United and England midfielder has firmly established himself at Old Trafford after a brilliant start to his managerial career with the club.

Appointed interim head coach in January following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, Carrick guided United to 12 wins in their final 17 games of the season, suffering only two defeats. That impressive run helped the team secure a third-place finish in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League.

His success earned him the job on a permanent basis, and last month, the ex-Middlesbrough manager signed a two-year contract to continue leading the team.

Supporters were quickly won over when Carrick began attending several Manchester United academy matches soon after taking charge as interim head coach — a sharp contrast to Amorim, who reportedly never attended a single youth fixture during his tenure at Old Trafford.

This gesture reflected Carrick’s willingness to do things differently, and he has now gone a step further by ending one of the club’s longest-running traditions.

Since 2002, United have spent their pre-season touring far-flung destinations such as Asia, Australia, and North America. However, this summer, the club will remain much closer to home.

Instead, six friendly matches have been scheduled across Europe, with reports indicating that Carrick himself made the call as he prepares for his first pre-season as the permanent boss.

Manchester United will kick off their pre-season campaign against Championship side Wrexham in Helsinki, Finland, on Saturday, July 18. Six days later, they will travel to Trondheim, Norway, to take on Rosenborg.

The Red Devils will then head to Sweden for two friendlies — first facing Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on Saturday, August 1, before meeting back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg a week later.

Following that, United will move on to Dublin to take on Premier League rivals Leeds United on Wednesday, August 12. The fixture will make history as the first meeting between two domestic clubs at the iconic Croke Park stadium in the Irish capital.

They will wrap up their European tour with a clash against Italian giants AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday, August 15 — just one week before the 2026/27 Premier League season kicks off.

Carrick hopes that avoiding a long-haul pre-season tour will keep his players fresher ahead of the new campaign, particularly since several squad members will have had limited rest due to their involvement in the 2026 World Cup.

In the 2025/26 season, United played only 40 matches after exiting both domestic cup competitions early and missing out on European football. However, that number is expected to increase by at least eight next season, as the club returns to the Champions League for the league phase of the tournament.