Carrick does not rule out a last-minute signing for Manchester United in the winter transfer window! Ødegaard has decided to stay, essentially giving up on the World Cup.

The January winter transfer window will end next Monday, which means the club has one last day to act after the game against Fulham. Coach Carrick has not ruled out a last-minute signing, particularly due to Patrick Doku's hamstring injury. Manchester United might require strengthening to ensure qualification for the Champions League this season. Bringing in a player on loan is the most probable move.

Manchester United has consistently insisted they will only consider players who have been long-term targets during the winter window, making such a move unlikely. However, Carrick mentioned that other options are not off the table, and talks regarding transfers are ongoing. At a Premier League pre-match press conference, he said: "We are working hard to resolve this. Never say 'impossible' because many things can happen, and various scenarios may arise. Sometimes these situations are within our control, and sometimes they are not."

Regarding the chance of a last-minute signing, Carrick remained non-committal: "We are calm, and Manchester United has already demonstrated the capabilities of the team. Let's wait and see how things unfold in the coming days. But in any case, there is no need to panic."

The Dutch striker Ødegaard, who once wanted to leave Manchester United in January, is now reportedly changing his mind and plans to stay with the club until this summer. Since the end of last year, the 24-year-old Dutch forward has been in long-term talks with Serie A's Roma, but Manchester United has consistently refused. Now, Ødegaard expects to remain at Manchester United after next week.

Ødegaard’s agent has also been informed that a mid-season transfer is impossible. Ødegaard missed the last two matches due to injury but has resumed training this week and may be on the bench for the Premier League match against Fulham on Sunday. However, staying at Manchester United means his chances of participating in this summer’s World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico are effectively over. Interestingly, Manchester United’s Portuguese stars welcomed Ødegaard’s return in a special way by placing an unconventional childhood photo of the Dutchman on his locker door.

Within the Manchester United squad, Ødegaard is only a backup striker, and the €85 million new signing Sheško has also been a substitute in Carrick’s two matches, so the Dutchman’s playing time might be limited. His only hope is to also act as a backup for captain Bruno Fernandes. Unfortunately, that position also has competition, with English midfielder Mason Mount being one of the contenders.

Speaking about Ødegaard’s future, Carrick said: "I think Joshua (Ødegaard) has been working hard to regain fitness and reintegrate into the team. He trained with his teammates for the first time yesterday, which is very encouraging. My relationship with Joshua is simple: I look forward to working with him, and there’s nothing more to add."

Bruno Fernandes’ long-term future has also been a topic of interest in the English media, with rumors suggesting Manchester United would need to offer him a £400,000 weekly salary to keep the captain. Carrick responded: "We shouldn’t think too far ahead. The team is focused on the current round of matches, and the discussions are about tasks that must be completed in the coming days. Players’ futures are certainly on our agenda, but the priority is Sunday’s match against Fulham. Bruno is fully committed to that, and there are no issues. We will consider follow-up matters at the end of the season. Everything is going smoothly right now, so there’s no reason to worry."

Carrick added: "From the moment I arrived, I immediately felt Bruno’s influence. I have worked with him before and have observed his performance closely. His impact is enormous and evident in many aspects. You can see his passion and determination to achieve great results. From the start, his ability was clear and has remained consistent. He performs steadily and at a high level, always giving his all on the pitch, and he also has excellent physical fitness. In this regard, he truly deserves praise. Of course, we all want to win titles, improve continuously, and become a stronger team with success — these are our shared goals. Since I joined, Bruno has been outstanding, and even before I came, he was the same. I have nothing but praise for him."

On Saturday, Bruno Fernandes celebrates his sixth anniversary since joining Manchester United, hoping to mark the milestone by scoring or assisting to defeat Fulham.