Carrick has personally selected one Manchester United player who must stay and must never be sold to Mourinho. Despite being disliked by some fans, he remains hardworking and loyal.

Reports have emerged that Manchester United intend to offer a new contract to right-back Diogo Dalot, but that claim is false. The 27-year-old Portuguese defender is under contract until 2028, with a club option for another season, making an early extension unnecessary. Nonetheless, it is 100% fact that Carrick holds Dalot in high regard and has demanded the club rule out any sale.

According to UK outlet "TEAMtalk", Real Madrid's prospective manager José Mourinho was interested in Dalot, but Carrick told United not to sell him, forcing Mourinho to pursue other right-back options. Dalot has also drawn attention from top European clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich, yet Carrick refuses to sanction his departure.

Carrick has made it clear to Manchester United's hierarchy that the Portuguese international remains an integral part of his long-term plan at Old Trafford. Dalot's versatility allows him to play on either flank. During Ole Gunnar Solskjær's tenure, a memorable comeback win against Paris Saint-Germain (3-1) saw Lukaku and Rashford praised, but many forget it was Dalot, coming off the bench as a makeshift right winger, whose long-range shot won a crucial penalty.

Carrick, then United's assistant coach, never forgot Dalot's contribution. Since returning as head coach, he has consistently valued Dalot. Sources say Carrick particularly admires Dalot's consistency and tactical intelligence, making him one of his most trusted players.

Real Madrid need a successor for veteran Dani Carvajal, but Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold has not impressed them. "Los Blancos"' scouting team greatly appreciates Dalot's ability to perform effectively on both sides of the pitch, viewing this tactical flexibility as a valuable asset. Mourinho was the coach who brought Dalot to United, and he once predicted the player would serve the club for a decade—a prediction now on the verge of coming true.

Although many Manchester United fans on social media habitually mock Dalot and circulate videos of his mistakes, the club's management—like Carrick—recognizes his contributions on and off the pitch, especially in the dressing room, where his professional attitude is top-notch. UK's *Manchester Evening News* praises him as an unsung hero in the locker room, noting that the team performs better when he is in the lineup. Statistics show that when Dalot starts at right-back this season, United have not lost a match.

While negotiations for a new contract with Dalot have not yet begun, keeping him at Old Trafford is firmly on the agenda. Consequently, Mourinho and Real Madrid have abandoned their pursuit of Dalot. Among three main alternatives—Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, Tottenham's Pedro Porro, and Real Valladolid's Iván Fresneda—they have opted to sign Dutch international Dumfries.

Dalot himself has expressed that he is very accustomed to playing under Carrick. "It's always good to know what you're going to get, because sometimes you just never know what will happen," he said. "Since I already knew Michael (Carrick) from before, I immediately knew there would be a calm, composed coach who always brings positive energy. The first two games were quite difficult, but I believe he knows how to beat opponents. Although our ages differ quite a bit, I can anticipate his reactions."

Dalot, currently preparing for the World Cup with the Portugal squad, also revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo once told him a certain Manchester United forward would not amount to much because he lacked passion during matches. They did not name names.

Dalot recalled: "Playing with Cristiano (Ronaldo) that season was an important period for my growth as both a player and a person. I've lost count of how many of his predictions turned out to be correct. Because he knows exactly what it takes to reach the top level. If someone skips training in the gym, he definitely notices. We had a forward who performed quite well in his first season, but Cristiano said, 'He won't make it here.' I said, 'Chris, he scored two goals today!' He explained, 'Yes, but he didn't have the determination to go for a third.'"

Based on Dalot's account, the only United player to score two goals in a game that season was Bruno Fernandes—but he is not a forward. British media speculate that Ronaldo might have been referring to one of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, or Mason Greenwood. However, their situations do not fully match. Therefore, Dalot may have misremembered the details.

Regarding the criticism he receives on social media, Dalot understands that some people only focus on negatives; any player's mistakes compiled into a highlight reel might look extremely amateur. He responded: "One thing I've learned is that reality is never as bad as the outside world makes it seem. The worst right-back in the league, not even worthy of playing for Manchester United—I know those claims are not true."