![\"Man](\"https:\/\/images.www.teamtalk.com\/content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/26143353\/man-utd-full-back-alvaro-fernandez.jpg\")
<\/p>\nManchester United have made a number of transfer mistakes in recent years and Real Madrid are the latest side to benefit from one of their poor decisions.<\/p>\n
United will have been watching Madrid\u2019s 2-1 win over Barcelona to watch Marcus Rashford in action but another former player caught the eye at the Santiago Bernabeu.<\/p>\n
Alvaro\u00a0Carreras used to be on the books at United but was sold before making a first-team appearance for the club and is now starring at left-back for Madrid.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve taken a look at Carreras\u2019 career so far and why United are regretting their decision to sell him.<\/p>\n
Carreras at Man Utd<\/p>\n
After deciding to leave Real Madrid at the end of the 2019\/20 season,\u00a0Carreras joined United as a 17-year-old and became a key player in their youth ranks.<\/p>\n
He won the Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year award in 2021\/22, following in the footsteps of Nicky Butt, John O\u2019Shea and Darren Fletcher.<\/p>\n
The left-back made the first-team squad for the last four Premier League games of Ralf Rangnick\u2019s tenure at the end of the 2021\/22 season but remained an unused substitute.<\/p>\n
He joined Championship side Preston North End on a season-long loan deal in search of regular first-team football and made 42 appearances in 2022\/23, winning their Young Player of the Year award.<\/p>\n
Carreras, then known as Alvaro Fernandez,\u00a0played in United\u2019s pre-season friendlies against Leeds United, Lyon, Athletic Bilbao and\u00a0Wrexham in the summer of 2023 and registered an assist against the latter.<\/p>\n
Despite Tyrell Malacia undergoing knee surgery and Luke Shaw\u00a0sustaining a muscle injury at the start of the 2023\/24 season, he didn\u2019t make a competitive appearance under Erik ten Hag.<\/p>\n
Instead of giving the defender a chance, they sent him on loan to Getafe and\u00a0signed Sergio Reguilon from Tottenham on a season-long loan deal.<\/p>\n
According to reports, Carreras was valued for his speed and attacking prowess, but those behind the scenes felt he needed to improve defensively.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag also believed he was not quick enough for the Premier League, struggled against fast players and was more suited to a back-three formation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat message did United give me? That I should go out on loan, that Ten Hag didn\u2019t count on me, that I should continue to gain experience, rhythm, and we\u2019ll see what happens in the future,\u201d\u00a0Carreras told The Athletic in December 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s clear that football doesn\u2019t end at any club and that you have to keep working. My main objective is to return to United and make a place for myself there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Left-back remained a problem position for United throughout the 2023\/24 season, with Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof and Sofyan Amrabat all filling in as makeshift cover.<\/p>\n
United decided to recall Carreras in January 2024 after he made just five LaLiga starts for Granada, but his return to Manchester only lasted a few days.<\/p>\n
He joined Benfica on another loan and they triggered their option to buy him at the end of the season, paying an initial \u20ac6million (\u00a35.2m) plus \u20ac3million (\u00a32.6m) in potential add-ons.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
His Real Madrid performances<\/p>\n
Carreras went from strength to strength at Benfica and Real Madrid forked \u20ac50million (\u00a343.6m) to bring the left-back back to the Bernabeu in the summer.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s since established himself as one of the first names on the Madrid teamsheet under Xabi Alonso, starting 12 of their first 13 games in all competitions in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old\u00a0made a brilliant\u00a0goal-saving clearance in a 2-1 win over Mallorca and\u00a0has been solid defensively in their back four system, proving United and Ten Hag wrong.<\/p>\n
While he\u2019s yet to register a goal or assist this season, his pace, directness and ability to overlap make him a constant attacking outlet for Madrid.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was optimistic [about his signing]. His personality and competitive nature have pleasantly surprised me,\u201d Alonso said in September.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe makes very few mistakes, he is very focused, he has great mental quality, great tactical and technical quality too, he is very complete. The instant impact he has had is surprising, it is fantastic news. We also have Fran [Garcia] and Ferland [Mendy] for that position, but his performance is excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n
The left-back had his first El Cl\u00e1sico at the weekend and was directly against Barcelona\u2019s Lamine Yamal, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world.<\/p>\n
He managed to nullify the threat of Yamal for the majority of the match, preventing the winger from having a single shot on target at the Bernabeu. Barcelona\u2019s only goal came from the opposite flank as United loanee Marcus Rashford got his seventh assist of the season.<\/p>\n
Carreras made two tackles, three clearances, three interceptions and six recoveries while also creating one chance as Madrid secured a 2-1 win to move five points clear at the top of the LaLiga table.<\/p>\n
United\u2019s current issues<\/p>\n
While Carreras continues to impress at Madrid, United are left ruing their decision to sell the left-back.<\/p>\n
Ruben Amorim replaced Ten Hag in the United dugout in November 2024 and immediately implemented his favoured 3-4-2-1 formation at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
He identified left-wing-back as an area to improve and signed Patrick Dorgu from Leece in the January transfer window in a deal worth up to \u00a329.1million.<\/p>\n
Dorgu is yet to fully convince in a United shirt and has been criticised for\u00a0his attacking output, having registered just two assists in his first 29 appearances for the club.<\/p>\n
The Denmark international has lost his place in the United side in recent weeks, starting on the bench in their wins over Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton.<\/p>\n
He was booked just two minutes after coming on against Brighton as he hauled down Yankuba Minteh while he was one-on-one with Senne Lammens.<\/p>\n
While VAR looked at the incident and deemed that the caution didn\u2019t need upgrading, the resulting free-kick saw Danny Welbeck pull one back for his side.<\/p>\n
Dalot has started ahead of Dorgu in those last three games, but the Portugal international looks a lot better when playing on\u00a0his favoured right-hand side.<\/p>\n
Luke Shaw has previously operated at wing-back but is now a\u00a0left-sided centre-back under Amorim and Tyrell Malacia hasn\u2019t played for United in nine months.<\/p>\n
United are now showing signs of improvement under Amorim after a difficult start to the season, but their\u00a0big weak point remains the left wing-back position.<\/p>\n
Carreras would\u2019ve been a perfect fit under Amorim and they may now have to enter the market for another left-wing-back.<\/p>\n