Alvaro Carreras' meteoric rise to stardom had Manchester United fans scratching their heads. How did a player who blossomed at Benfica under such watchful eyes become a mere afterthought for the Red Devils? The answer lies in his loan spell with Preston North End, where he developed into an exceptional young talent.
When Carreras arrived at Deepdale, it was clear that he had already outgrown United's reserve team. Paul Gallagher, who coached the 22-year-old during his stint in the Championship, recalls: "Straight away, you could see real quality in his game... He got people off their seats from left wing-back with his dribbling skills and his passing skills." This was evident in Preston's first-team setup, where Carreras played as a left wing back but excelled in a more traditional defensive role.
Despite his impressive display, United opted to loan him out again the following season. Ryan Lowe, Preston's manager at the time, managed Carreras' minutes carefully, benching him for games to help him acclimatize. This strategy paid off, as Carreras grew into his new surroundings, showcasing a "fantastic" attitude towards learning and development. He would often stay behind after training sessions, eager to improve.
Gallagher, now a coach at another Championship club, Stoke City, was initially eager to take Carreras on loan again the following season. However, the player had other plans. In January of last year, he made the surprise move back to Benfica, rekindling his connection with LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
Madrid's summer offer proved too enticing, and Carreras signed a four-year deal with the Spanish giants. Gallagher was among the first to congratulate his former player on the move. "He will probably have thought he was good enough to play for Manchester United long ago," Gallagher said. "Now he has his dream move to Real Madrid."
The proof is in the pudding, as Carreras has taken Spain by storm at the Bernabeu. His display against Juventus, where he won an impressive 11 of his duels without losing one, marked a new milestone for the young defender.
Gallagher attributes Carreras' rapid ascent to his exceptional mentality and work ethic. "One thing with Alvaro and his personality... He will really believe in his ability." This unwavering confidence has allowed Carreras to excel at the highest level, earning praise from coaches and fans alike.
As for Preston North End, they are now left wondering what could have been. The 22-year-old's departure serves as a stark reminder that even the best young players can be overlooked by bigger clubs. However, with Carreras thriving in Madrid, it seems unlikely that anyone will be complaining about his decision to leave United.
When Carreras arrived at Deepdale, it was clear that he had already outgrown United's reserve team. Paul Gallagher, who coached the 22-year-old during his stint in the Championship, recalls: "Straight away, you could see real quality in his game... He got people off their seats from left wing-back with his dribbling skills and his passing skills." This was evident in Preston's first-team setup, where Carreras played as a left wing back but excelled in a more traditional defensive role.
Despite his impressive display, United opted to loan him out again the following season. Ryan Lowe, Preston's manager at the time, managed Carreras' minutes carefully, benching him for games to help him acclimatize. This strategy paid off, as Carreras grew into his new surroundings, showcasing a "fantastic" attitude towards learning and development. He would often stay behind after training sessions, eager to improve.
Gallagher, now a coach at another Championship club, Stoke City, was initially eager to take Carreras on loan again the following season. However, the player had other plans. In January of last year, he made the surprise move back to Benfica, rekindling his connection with LaLiga giants Real Madrid.
Madrid's summer offer proved too enticing, and Carreras signed a four-year deal with the Spanish giants. Gallagher was among the first to congratulate his former player on the move. "He will probably have thought he was good enough to play for Manchester United long ago," Gallagher said. "Now he has his dream move to Real Madrid."
The proof is in the pudding, as Carreras has taken Spain by storm at the Bernabeu. His display against Juventus, where he won an impressive 11 of his duels without losing one, marked a new milestone for the young defender.
Gallagher attributes Carreras' rapid ascent to his exceptional mentality and work ethic. "One thing with Alvaro and his personality... He will really believe in his ability." This unwavering confidence has allowed Carreras to excel at the highest level, earning praise from coaches and fans alike.
As for Preston North End, they are now left wondering what could have been. The 22-year-old's departure serves as a stark reminder that even the best young players can be overlooked by bigger clubs. However, with Carreras thriving in Madrid, it seems unlikely that anyone will be complaining about his decision to leave United.
his story is like, so inspiring yet also kinda heartbreaking at the same time... he was clearly destined for greatness but those loan spells and not being given a real shot at Manchester United must have been super frustrating for him 
. And it's crazy to think about how he blossomed under Ryan Lowe's guidance at Preston North End 
his work ethic and mentality really did pay off in the end, didn't they? 
it's like, sometimes you gotta believe in yourself no matter what others say... and I am SO here for that kind of confidence and determination 
I think it's kinda harsh on Man Utd for not giving Alvaro more time at their academy. He was clearly doing something right, even if they didn't recognize it back then. 
Gallagher's comments about him being good enough for Man Utd early on do stick though... maybe they just weren't ready to give him the starting spot? Anyway, he's killing it in Madrid now and that's all that matters! 
Carreras' mentality and work ethic are straight fire 
. He's definitely proving himself to be one of the best young defenders out there. 
. That says a lot about him as a coach and a person. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to play for Real Madrid? It's like he had a Plan B, but also an A+ Plan C 
. Carreras' rise to stardom is def one of the most inspiring stories in football right now 
. Plus, I love how Preston North End is now left wondering what could've been – it just highlights the harsh reality of the football world: if you're not good enough for Manchester United, are you really good enough for anyone? 
Alvaro Carreras was so good at Preston North End and he only got better after leaving the club 
but they chose not to keep him 
I guess we can all see now that Real Madrid knew what they were doing by signing him though 
. I mean, who doesn't love an underdog story? He was basically loaned out by Manchester United and still managed to develop into this amazing player at Preston North End 
But seriously, Carreras' time at Preston North End was game-changing for him - he turned into an exceptional talent 
! Anyway, Carreras has definitely found his dream move to Real Madrid and he's killing it at the Bernabeu 
#CarrerasRising #PrestonNorthEnd #ManchesterUnited #RealMadrid
i mean he had paul gallagher coaching him and they were like "wow this kid is gonna be big things" and then they just sent him back to benfica 
️... what did they even do differently? 
...