Man United transfer news live: JJ Gabriel plan, Michael Carrick plea, latest done deals today

Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live Manchester United transfer news blog on Friday, August 14!

While there was little in the way of confirmed activity for the Red Devils on Thursday, Michael Carrick himself sent tongues wagging with a public transfer declaration.

Stay entirely up to date with the latest Man United done deals and rumours with our social-led live blog below!

Today's Man United transfer headlines

Michael Carrick urges more signings at Man United

How Man United plan to keep JJ Gabriel

Man United transfer news today: What's happening on August 14?

Carrick addressed reporters directly on August 13 to make his transfer expectations clear, saying: "We want more, we need more. We keep looking forward to how we can do that. So that never stops," while adding that any further signings must be purposeful rather than reactive.

Carrick confirmed the club are targeting a left-back, a further midfielder and a centre-forward before the September window closes, with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Darlow representing the summer's senior additions to date alongside three academy signings.

Separately, the club are actively working on a long-term contract for JJ Gabriel, the teenage England international who has been described within the club as a generational talent and the face of its future, with United anxious to avoid the precedent of losing a young star by failing to tie them down early.

Fellow academy talent Godwill Kukonki is reportedly in line for a Championship loan, an appropriate next step for a young player not yet ready for regular first-team minutes.

Elsewhere, Barcelona were reported to be leading the race for a striker target also being pursued by Manchester United and other Premier League clubs, adding competition to the Red Devils' search for a centre-forward and suggesting the September deadline will be a pressurised conclusion to what has been a slow summer in terms of senior signings.

United face AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday before beginning their Premier League campaign against Hull City on August 22.