Manchester United have emerged as the winners of the 2025 Summer Series following a 2–2 draw with Everton in their final game on Sunday evening.

Rúben Amorim’s charge had won their previous two games against West Ham United and Bournemouth, meaning they needed at least a draw to be crowned champions.

Throughout the tournament, against three of the 19 teams they will face over two legs in the league, United scored eight times and conceded four, two of which were own goals.

They were considerably solid defensively, albeit failing to keep a clean sheet in any of the games. It wasn’t until a complete change in their defence that Bournemouth managed to force an own goal off Matthijs de Ligt for their consolation in the 4–1 loss.

With the competition now over and one more friendly to come before they take on Arsenal in the Premier League opening weekend, here are five takeaways from Manchester United’s preseason campaign.

5 Takeaways From Manchester United's Preseason 

1. The Attack Will Cook

Manchester United, despite their lack of European football, may have assembled one of the best attacks in the Premier League, with the additions of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to the ranks.

Although they endured an awkward start to their preseason with a defeat to ASEAN All Stars and a draw with Leeds United, both of which they failed to score in, they quickly recovered throughout the summer.

The recovery came against Premier League opposition, beating West Ham United and Bournemouth 2–1 and 4–1 respectively on their way to claiming the Summer Series title in the United States of America.

Even though neither of the new boys was on the scoresheet, they delivered exciting performances, linking well with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo to create danger time and again.

2. Any Striker May Do

The club seems to be settling well into the rhythm Rúben Amorim wants to play, and from what was displayed in the Summer Series, any striker may fit in, even one with as much potential as Rasmus Højlund.

The Danish striker was on the scoresheet once in two starts, showing glimpses of the player United paid €40 million to acquire from Atalanta in the summer of 2023.

With United improving with the ball, Højlund is bound to get more opportunities in front of goal. Even though he is not the best option out there, given the season he had last time, he could still get the job done.

With the club facing stiff competition from Newcastle United in the race for Benjamin Šeško, losing out may not be the worst outcome. It could be worth it if Amorim decides to trust Højlund, with Joshua Zirkzee providing competition.

It would be better to go for experience as competition for the Dane, should Joshua Zirkzee depart this summer. Ollie Watkins or Jean-Philippe Mateta will do great.

3. A Holding Midfielder Is Paramount

In July, Rúben Amorim stated that he was content with the squad if the club were unable to add more players before the end of the transfer window, but to avoid another disastrous campaign, it is recommended that they go all out to sign another holding midfielder.

The Portuguese tactician rotated 33-year-old Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte during the Summer Series, but the former is obviously past his glory days, while the latter is known to struggle with possession.

A better ball-playing defensive midfielder is needed to maximize the speed of the attackers in counter situations, or even as a rotation option, depending on the game plan and the opposition’s pattern.

4. Bruno Fernandes Continues To Divide Opinions 

Again, the Portuguese stood out as Manchester United's best player, scoring three and assisting one of the eight goals in the series, but he wasn't without the usual moments that raise eyebrows.

Despite persistent speculation of a move away this summer following the failure to secure European qualification, the midfielder has remained dedicated to the club, making it clear he is not interested in leaving.

Productively wise, he has been a decisive player since his arrival in January 2020 and continues to prove reliable in that front, but his work rate and attitude have not impressed fans and pundits who see beyond what he does: what he does not.

As arguably the most important player in the squad, it is imperative that the manager call his captain into order and improve where necessary, because the numbers may be useless when he costs the team more.

5. See to Outgoings to Strengthen Where Necessary

Manchester United still needs to address outgoings for players like Alejandro Garnacho and Antony, potentially using the funds generated to finance new signings.

Apart from Victor Lindelöf and Christian Eriksen, whose contracts expired in the summer and who departed as free agents, Marcus Rashford is the only significant player to leave, and that was on a loan deal with a buy option to Barcelona.

The club is yet to earn from departures, apart from the €5 million gained from Álvaro Carreras' transfer from Benfica to Real Madrid due to the sell-on clause inserted in the deal when they sold him to the Portuguese club last summer.

Antony, Jadon Sancho, Garnacho, and others could generate millions to raise the squad’s level before the season gets underway. That should be the focus of the management in the coming weeks ahead of the window’s closure in less than a month.

Amorim has said he'll prefer that the players stay if no club meets their valuation, but would it be okay to keep unhappy players around the club?

Conclusion 

United’s Summer Series triumph shows they are heading into the season with confidence and momentum. But to turn that into a successful Premier League campaign, they may need to be active in the final weeks of the window.

As much as they look better than the team that finished 16th in the last league season, it is also worth noting that their competitions have also leveled up during the summer break, and taking the right measures will ensure that their good performances will be consistent when the season gets underway.

Their Summer Series triumph should not overwhelm the fact that they failed to beat Everton, who had lost three consecutive games heading into the clash.

Ruben Amorim is expected to have learnt his lessons, and putting them into good use will ensure they achieve their set goals in the coming season, and will also ensure his continuity at a club that frowns at a poor run.

What do you think Manchester United needs to do to have a much better season? Let us know in the comments.