Andrey Santos made his Manchester United debut as Michel Carrick's side lost 1-0 to Wrexham in their opening pre‑season fixture at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. The Brazil midfielder played the first 45 minutes following his recent £50m transfer from Chelsea, but had little chance to impress.

Carrick switched all players at the break, giving academy stars a chance. United’s first teamers, including skipper Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, and the likes of Patrick Dorgu and Bryan Mbeumo, were on the pitch for the first half. United’s backup goalkeeper Radek Vitek made an important stop to deny Davis Keillor‑Dunn.

The only goal came from Sam Smith’s far‑post tap in six minutes before half‑time, after a build‑up that saw Wrexham’s Thomason link up with O'Brien. The Championship side held on for the win, while United saw their runout look more useful than the defeat suggested.

Carrick will focus on the upcoming Premier League campaign, preparing for the start at Hull City on August 22 and the next pre‑season clash with Rosenborg on July 24. The match offered valuable mileage ahead of the next pre‑season fixtures.