Manchester United is about to add another midfielder to the pipeline, and this one has been in the works for months. Colombian teenager Cristian Camilo Orozco, 17, is scheduled to travel to Manchester on Sunday to undergo a medical and finalize his move from Fortaleza, according to journalist Pipe Sierra of AS Colombia.
The deal itself has been done since last October. Fabrizio Romano gave it his famous ‘here we go’ back then, putting the transfer fee at $1 million. But the official announcement has been waiting for the summer 2026 window. Now it’s happening. Orozco will be accompanied by United’s chief scout, Giuseppe Antonaccio, and after the medical, he’ll join the club’s under-21 squad for preseason training in Germany.
Orozco came up through Academia Rojo FC and a youth program called ‘Club de Pies a Cabeza,’ which is a cool name for a soccer academy. He’s a midfielder, which is obviously a position United is stockpiling right now.
Ederson is already in
The Red Devils already locked down Ederson from Atalanta. Word is he did his medical in New York about 12 days ago. So the midfield rebuild is rolling. But Orozco is a long-term project, not an immediate fix. United still want at least one more established midfielder before the window closes.
The Mateus Fernandes situation is getting messy
United have reportedly agreed personal terms with West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, but they’re not alone in the race. Tottenham is circling, and West Ham seems happy to let it become a bidding war. Fernandes’s agent is Jorge Mendes, which always complicates things. Reliable journalist Andy Mitten said on the Talk of the Devils podcast that Fernandes prefers Manchester United over Spurs. But Mitten also noted that United doesn’t want to get into an auction. So it’s going to come down to how badly they want him and how much they’re willing to pay.
Meanwhile, Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid has been mentioned as a target too, but that feels like a long shot for now.
One more name to watch: Elliot Anderson
Man City looks set to sign Elliot Anderson this summer. John Barnes, talking to Betfred, said he thinks Anderson would be a better fit for United than City. Barnes argued that if Enzo Maresca takes over at City and sticks with Pep Guardiola’s system, Anderson might not be the right piece for that puzzle. Whether United actually made a serious run at him is unclear, but Barnes’s take is floating around the conversation.
For now, all eyes are on Orozco’s flight to Manchester. When he passes that medical, he becomes the second midfielder in the door this summer for United. Two down. Probably at least one more to go.
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