Álvaro Carreras | Benfica

It's coming from people having watched him play football.

Even when he was a United player, it was something regularly noted about him:





































And so on.

And the context for us is our manager commenting on our struggles with physicality pretty much every week, the club reportedly looking to specifically raise the athletic levels of the team, and both the fullbacks we've signed and been most strongly linked with (Leon and Dorgu) not-coincidentally being much better athletes.

Alvaro has always had quality, but he just isn't the profile of player we're looking for to improve a team everyone can see is physically lightweight.

To be he doesn’t look slow. Obviously raphinha got the better of him at the end, but he did catch up with him. He may have just got faster over time
 
To be he doesn’t look slow. Obviously raphinha got the better of him at the end, but he did catch up with him. He may have just got faster over time

Agreed. Although I don't think he's got noticably faster. At least not beyond the normal progression of any young player.

UEFA speed stats (Top Speed kp/h). A selection of players - full-backs and some well known wide players - who are around Alvaro's speed.

Ian Maatsen 33.7
Geovany Quenda 33.6
Christian Pulisic 33.5
Denzel Dumfries 33.5
Alvaro Carreras 33.3
Luis Diaz 33.2
Jeremy Doku 33.2
Josko Gvardiol 33.1
Rodrygo 33.1
Alejandro Balde 32.9

And he's obviously supremely technically gifted for a full-back/WB.
 
Agreed. Although I don't think he's got noticably faster. At least not beyond the normal progression of any young player.

UEFA speed stats (Top Speed kp/h). A selection of players - full-backs and some well known wide players - who are around Alvaro's speed.

Ian Maatsen 33.7
Geovany Quenda 33.6
Christian Pulisic 33.5
Denzel Dumfries 33.5
Alvaro Carreras 33.3
Luis Diaz 33.2
Jeremy Doku 33.2
Josko Gvardiol 33.1
Rodrygo 33.1
Alejandro Balde 32.9

And he's obviously supremely technically gifted for a full-back/WB.

This for real? I thought pace was the only thing he lacked. Has he also improved in short distances? Dalot is quite quick when he gets going, but he's not got a burst like Amad.
 
This for real?
Yeah. From here.

There are of course outliers like Alphonso Davies (35.6) and Nuno Mendes (35.3) who's he's a couple of kph slower than. But he's also a couple of kph faster than DiMarco (31.6) and Grimaldo (31.2) who are two of the best wide players around in back three formations.

Just subjectively I think he's got a good burst of acceleration but I wouldn't say he's explosive.

I definitely don't think he's athletically limited though. The opposite actually; when you factor in his size, the distance he covers every game, his availability and his potential to fill out physically.
 
He actually played in a back 3 while at Preston, rotating with Brady
 
Agreed. Although I don't think he's got noticably faster. At least not beyond the normal progression of any young player.

UEFA speed stats (Top Speed kp/h). A selection of players - full-backs and some well known wide players - who are around Alvaro's speed.

Ian Maatsen 33.7
Geovany Quenda 33.6
Christian Pulisic 33.5
Denzel Dumfries 33.5
Alvaro Carreras 33.3
Luis Diaz 33.2
Jeremy Doku 33.2
Josko Gvardiol 33.1
Rodrygo 33.1
Alejandro Balde 32.9

And he's obviously supremely technically gifted for a full-back/WB.
The slow criticism has always been a load of shite. His speed is perfectly fine.

He got beat for pace a couple times by some of the fastest youth wingers in the country and suddenly you couldn’t go a thread without people claiming he’s slow, despite him regularly bursting past players in attack every game.

Every fullback gets beat for pace occasionally, even the best ones let alone a youth player. Doesn’t mean he’s too slow to ever be any good.

But once there is a talking point it’ll just be repeated over and over again. Same now with Chido Obi being over reliant on physicality despite never using physicality in his play.
 
Agreed. Although I don't think he's got noticably faster. At least not beyond the normal progression of any young player.

UEFA speed stats (Top Speed kp/h). A selection of players - full-backs and some well known wide players - who are around Alvaro's speed.

Ian Maatsen 33.7
Geovany Quenda 33.6
Christian Pulisic 33.5
Denzel Dumfries 33.5
Alvaro Carreras 33.3
Luis Diaz 33.2
Jeremy Doku 33.2
Josko Gvardiol 33.1
Rodrygo 33.1
Alejandro Balde 32.9

And he's obviously supremely technically gifted for a full-back/WB.


This just proves that one fan shares an opinion a player and it suddenly becomes canon across the fanbase with everyone parroting the same thing.

And ETH was hardly a champion of picking out talent as we have seen from his handling of Antony and conversely of Amad.
 
Yeah. From here.

There are of course outliers like Alphonso Davies (35.6) and Nuno Mendes (35.3) who's he's a couple of kph slower than. But he's also a couple of kph faster than DiMarco (31.6) and Grimaldo (31.2) who are two of the best wide players around in back three formations.

Just subjectively I think he's got a good burst of acceleration but I wouldn't say he's explosive.

I definitely don't think he's athletically limited though. The opposite actually; when you factor in his size, the distance he covers every game, his availability and his potential to fill out physically.

Yeah, I always thought he'd evolve into a LCB with his frame (and his young Ramos-esque looks).

Certainly wouldn't be averse to getting him back.
 
Is there any reliable sources about what exactly our buyback deal is for Alvaro?

I assume he's a player that Amorim knows relatively well since he plays in Portugal
 
Might we just want the sell on fee (would it be homegrown FFP?) rather than having him back as squad depth?
 
Yeah, I always thought he'd evolve into a LCB with his frame (and his young Ramos-esque looks).

Certainly wouldn't be averse to getting him back.

Me too, and I think this would be a big upside long term if we were to re-sign him.
Just looking at the compilation from the Barca game you can see that he has the potential to be a much more dynamic wide CB compared to Martinez with his ball carrying, physique and long range passing.

I’d see it as a shrewd move to bring him back and having him compete with both Diego Leon and Martinez and see where he ends up. Could save us alot of money going for Inacio or someone like that.
 
If it is true that we have that buy-back clause, then I don't think we have better options than bringing him back. Not even homegrown player bias here, if he does well at Benfica and is one of the best full-backs in Portuguese League he should be a good signing for the 13th in PL.
 
Is there any reliable sources about what exactly our buyback deal is for Alvaro?

I assume he's a player that Amorim knows relatively well since he plays in Portugal

Not really. All the talk was it was £17m (presumably €20m), but also lately mention of £25m including from The Athletic I believe.

There was also a report from Manchester Evening News that United have a sell-on clause, but as far as I can see this is the only source (which is tier 5).

Either way, even for £25m he should 100% be on the shortlist for LWB.
 
Thought he was hard done by on the penalty, but he shouldnt be letting Raphinha get onto his left foot and shoot for the winner.

Looks better than Malacia so I'd take him as his replacement

Edit - He's also clearly slower than some of the more favoured fullbacks/wingbacks. I think Dorgu is clearly a bit faster and I think Kerkez might be slightly faster than Dorgu. I think overall his pace is probably average but as hes quite tall he looks like he's moving a bit slower. He certainly doesnt have the speed you'd expect of a winger at United and thats what our wingbacks need to provide in our formation. Thats why I'd have him as a Malacia replacement but I'd want someone faster as a first choice at left wingback for us.
 
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There’s been no credible links to suggest we’re even interested in bringing him back has there? You’d think him only costing £16m and plays in a position that’s a priority for us you’d have heard something by now if we were genuinely interested.
 
Every touch from last nights game.



Overall very impressive game, did get done by Yamal a couple of times including for the penalty (which was very soft IMO, as a sidenote the penalty decisions last night were absolutely all over the place) but I wouldn't personally hold that against him as IMO Yamal is the best player in the world right now and we know Carreras isn't the complete finished article. The one major criticism is his work marking Raphinha for the injury time winner as he lets him steal a couple of yards in behind.

But clearly technically very good, looks composed and progressive with the ball and impressive physicality in terms of his combativeness and strength in duels, defended really well vs dribblers and on the front foot. He doesn't immediately look too slow to me, but we didn't see him really carry the ball at full speed in space last night in the way he'll need to in a LWB role in Amorim's system.
 
Ten Hag was really a bad judge of talent. He hit the jackpot at Ajax with some excellent players and a top top Dof and we stupidly gave him a huge say on transfers based on that. His recruitment was abysmal and he failed to give this lad & Amad chances when they look like the most technically sound players that were available to him, and in positions where we were struggling.
 
Not really. All the talk was it was £17m (presumably €20m), but also lately mention of £25m including from The Athletic I believe.

There was also a report from Manchester Evening News that United have a sell-on clause, but as far as I can see this is the only source (which is tier 5).

Either way, even for £25m he should 100% be on the shortlist for LWB.

Id be surprised if there wasnt a sell on clause given the cheap price we let him leave for

Ten Hag did confirm there was a buy back option though