Manchester United have already been busy this summer. Four players in the door — Andrey Santos from Chelsea, Karl Darlow from Leeds, Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa, and Tynan Thompson from Tottenham — and they’re not done yet. The midfield is the priority, and the club has been chasing a third midfield addition since a deal for Atalanta’s Ederson fell apart at the medical stage due to concerns about an old knee injury.
That’s where the list gets complicated. And if you believe journalist Ben Jacobs, the hierarchy of targets isn’t exactly what fans might expect.
Jacobs broke down the likeliest moves for Man Utd on The United Stand, and some names are higher than you’d think while others are barely on the radar. Let’s start with the one that’s generating the most headlines.
Manu Kone: High on the list, but not done yet
Reports on Thursday claimed Manchester United had reached an agreement on personal terms with Manu Kone. The Roma and France midfielder is being pushed toward the top of the club’s wish list after Ederson’s medical fell through. Jacobs confirms Kone is high in United’s thinking, though he cautions there’s still ground to cover.
“Kone is definitely high in Manchester United’s thinking,” Jacobs said. “He’s been looked at by Arsenal, Chelsea as well, even though they prioritised that bid for Alex Scott, but no real headway because the player was obviously at the World Cup, so we’re going to have to wait and see how that develops. But again, he’s much higher on the list.”
So Kone is a serious option, but not a done deal. The World Cup limited conversations, and United aren’t alone in the race.
Alex Scott: Priority, but pricey
Jacobs says Alex Scott of Bournemouth is a high priority for United. But there’s a catch — the price tag is steep. Bournemouth have already fielded a call from United before Chelsea made their own bid for the midfielder.
“Alex Scott is a high priority, but it’s just a high price, so you have to weigh those two things against each other,” Jacobs said. “And we’ll wait and see whether Manchester United formally enter that race.”
Translation: United are interested, but they’re not about to blow up their budget for him. Not yet, at least.
Tyler Adams and Carlos Baleba: Farther down the list
The Daily Mail reported Thursday that United were considering a £35 million offer for Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams. But Jacobs isn’t buying that he’s a top target. He says Adams is lower on the list, and Carlos Baleba shouldn’t be completely discounted either.
“Lower down is Tyler Adams, and at the moment Carlos Baleba is not to be discounted,” Jacobs added.
So those names are alive, but they’re not the ones United are likely to push hard for right now.
The Tchouameni dream
Then there’s the name that would top almost any list — Aurelien Tchouameni. The Real Madrid midfielder would be a statement signing, but Jacobs is blunt about the reality.
“Of all of the names, it probably would be fair to say that Aurelien Tchouameni would be right near the top of the list, but again, that is 1,000% irrelevant if the player is going to stay at the football club. And again, I come back to what I said before: he’s already agreed a new deal with Real Madrid.”
So Tchouameni is a fantasy more than a target. United might dream about him, but the deal isn’t happening.
For now, the most realistic play seems to be Kone, with Scott as a possible but expensive alternative. Adams and Baleba are there if those fall through. And Tchouameni? That’s not a story worth following.
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