Now the real work begins for Michael Carrick! Man Utd boss' six biggest priorities after landing permanent Old Trafford manager's job

While you certainly can't argue with Carrick's record since he replaced Amorim at the start of the year, there is concern among some sections of a wary fanbase about a perceived lack of identity under the Englishman to date. There is a desire to avoid a repeat of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's failures, and comparisons to the ex-United striker are inevitable.

Results have been the main priority for the interim to this point, and that's fair enough - he's guided the club back into the Champions League, after all. However, sceptics would argue that a number of the performances have been a little sloppy, with Carrick's side often reliant on moments of individual quality and errors from their opponents.

Carrick has undoubtedly instilled some belief and confidence, but now he will be expected to kick on and implement some clear, Manchester United-rooted ideas during a full pre-season with the squad.

It will be no mean feat, but United will need to go in search of a replacement for veteran midfielder Casemiro this summer. The Brazilian has been resurgent under Carrick, chipping in with an unlikely five goals during the push for Champions League qualification to leave the club ruing its decision not to extend his contract beyond the end of the season, with his imminent exit confirmed way back in January.

The chants of "One more year" from the United support over recent weeks reflect just how important the 34-year-old has been to the cause, but he has confirmed that there will be no last-minute U-turn over his future. That means Carrick and the club's decision-makers must find a suitable replacement, and a player of that calibre will come at a significant cost. Premier League-proven commodities such as Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton, as well as Atalanta's Ederson, have all been touted as options.

Indeed, it promises to be a seismic summer overall for United, who have a golden opportunity to reinstate themselves among the title challengers after soaring to third this season - albeit they still have significant gap to close to the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. However, if they play their cards right in the transfer market, it is not beyond the realms of possibility.

Last summer's window was a rare success story as United have seen decent returns on Premier League-proven stars like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, while relative unknown Senne Lammens has impressed in goal after arriving from Belgium. After a slow start, big-money striker Benjamin Sesko also looks like he could explode having found his best form under Carrick, netting seven times since the start of February.

It remains to be seen how much involvement Carrick has with transfers, but the club will need to get the big decisions right again if they want to keep up the momentum, especially as they face a fight on four fronts.

Another key part of United's business over the coming months will be keeping hold of talismanic club captain, Bruno Fernandes, who has arguably been the best player in the Premier League this season. The attacking midfielder admitted in December that he came close to leaving Old Trafford last summer in the wake of a 15th-placed finish and defeat in the Europa League final to Tottenham, having fielded lucrative offers from Saudi Arabia.

Carrick will hope, though, that the club's resurgence under his stewardship and the return to the Champions League will mean the Portuguese dynamo is going nowhere, even if there is renewed interest in his services. The soon-to-be head coach will be encouraged by Bruno's words in an interview with Sky Sports recently.

"It's not a question of loyalty," Fernandes said. "I could have gone two years ago, I could have gone three years ago, I could have gone last season, but I really like to be here. I think that being successful at this club is something that I can never get at another club. The joy and everything I get, the day I get what I want from this club, I don't think I will get that from any other club in the world."

There does, though, have to be plenty of other outgoings - both to free up space in the squad and generate vital funds under the frugal ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS. United have several players returning from loans who have no real future at the club, while over the course of the campaign it's become clear that a number of others in the first-team group are surplus to requirements.

The list is headlined by the likes of Marcus Rashford, Andre Onana and Manuel Ugarte, while Jadon Sancho is thankfully out of contract, and Napoli's own qualification for the Champions League means Rasmus Hojlund's loan move has subsequently been made permanent. There will also be question marks over what comes next for Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee. Carrick will need to be ruthless to ensure United are no longer lumbered with ineffective players on big contracts.

The answers to some of the summer's most pertinent questions might be closer to home than Carrick realises. The club's homegrown talent was largely overlooked by his predecessor Amorim, but it will be the Englishman's job to create pathways for the most talented products of the famed academy.

Winger Shea Lacey, midfielder Jack Fletcher and striker Chido Obi could well be ready for more senior minutes after a full pre-season with the first team, and then there is the small matter of JJ Gabriel. The attacker doesn't turn 16 until October, but he has just been named the Under-18 Premier League Player of the Season and seems to have limitless potential. His integration, and the management of it, will be a key task for Carrick.