Manchester United’s midfield rebuild has hit a few potholes this summer, but they might have just caught a break. Reports earlier this week suggested that Eduardo Camavinga had been offered to Manchester City, which would have been a disaster for United given their own interest in the Real Madrid midfielder. But according to Fabrizio Romano, City isn’t actually working on a deal.
Here’s the deal. United came into this summer needing at least two, maybe three, midfielders. Casemiro is done at Old Trafford. Manuel Ugarte hasn’t worked out. They landed Ederson from Atalanta, which is a solid start, but then watched dream targets like Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes go to rivals instead. INEOS needed more options, and fast.
Camavinga emerged as a potential pivot. He’s press-resistant, carries the ball well, and tackles hard. But he’s been stuck on the fringes at the Bernabeu, which reportedly cost him a spot in France’s 2026 World Cup squad. That stings. And when word got out that his name had been floated to City, United fans braced for the worst.
But Romano pushed back on that narrative Thursday. On his YouTube channel, he said: ‘At the moment, on Manchester City, I don’t have a confirmation about any proposal or any advanced negotiation. It’s just something that Manchester City know that Real Madrid could open doors to the exit of Camavinga, and Manchester City are opening to the possibility of signing one more midfielder after Elliot Anderson, but, at the moment, that’s the situation around Camavinga.’
In other words, City knows Camavinga might be available but hasn’t made a real move yet. That gives United a window. A narrow one, but a window nonetheless.
The question now is whether United can convince the Frenchman to push for a move. He’s not reportedly keen on leaving Madrid, but a promise of consistent playing time and a central role could change his mind. At 23, he needs minutes. He needs to feel important. United can offer that in a way Real Madrid hasn’t recently.
If United can get his green light, they might finally turn this summer around. The Ederson signing was good. Adding Camavinga would be a statement, especially after that Fernandes snub. The clock is ticking, but this one might actually be alive.
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