Manchester United’s Midfield Overhaul Is Two-Thirds Done. The Hard Part Comes Next.

Manchester United has already signed two midfielders this summer. Andrey Santos came over from Chelsea quickly, and Youri Tielemans joined after his release clause was triggered. That’s the easy part done. The problem is what comes next, and it’s a big one.

Michael Carrick wanted a midfield rebuild. INEOS delivered on two of the three spots. But the third piece is the one that actually matters. United needs a pure destroyer. A physical presence who can sit in front of the backline, cover ground, and actually scare opponents. Neither Santos nor Tielemans fits that description cleanly. Both can play the No. 6 role, yeah, but they’re fluid guys who drift between holding and central midfield. They’re not the guy you point at and say “go break up attacks.”

So who’s left? Not many realistic options, apparently.

The shortlist is long. The wallet is not.

United has been linked with Roma’s Manu Koné, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, and Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga. All three would fit. All three cost somewhere between £60 million and £80 million, according to The Guardian. And that’s the problem.

After spending a combined initial £82 million on Santos and Tielemans, United isn’t eager to drop another big chunk on a third midfielder. The club views those price tags as unlikely to be met right now. That matches what The Peoples Person reported recently — United plans to shift focus to outgoing transfers before making another big purchase.

There’s a chance this is all a game of chicken. Let the market cool, wait for selling clubs to blink, then swoop late in the window. That kind of strategy works sometimes. It also backfires when your target goes somewhere else.

What makes the situation trickier is that United hasn’t exactly been aggressive on the sales side. Rasmus Hojlund left, but that was an obligation. Marcus Rashford’s potential exit could free up cash for a winger like Crysencio Summerville. And with Manuel Ugarte staying put, the club might consider surprising departures. That’s why you’re hearing Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui linked with moves. Nobody is untouchable right now if the price is right.

Carrick clearly knows what he wants. Whether he gets it before the window closes depends entirely on how bold INEOS is willing to be.