Manchester United Took a Look at Inter’s Augusto. Here’s What They Found.

Manchester United has been quietly doing its homework on the left side of the defense. According to reporter Ben Jacobs, the club made an inquiry about Inter Milan’s Carlos Augusto back in April and has also kept tabs on West Ham’s Oliver Scarles.

Let’s start with Augusto. The 27-year-old Brazilian can play left-back, left midfield, and even center-back on occasion. That kind of versatility is appealing to a United squad that has been piecing together its back line with duct tape and hope for the last couple seasons. Augusto has logged 100 league appearances for Inter and won two Serie A titles in three years. That’s not nothing.

But here’s the thing. The inquiry was in April. That’s months ago. And according to Jacobs, United hasn’t made any concrete move since. That might tell you where Augusto sits on their priority list right now.

Then there’s Scarles. He’s 20, plays left-back for West Ham, and can slide up to wing-back or midfield. The Hammers got relegated last season, so Scarles might be open to leaving. United has assessed him. But again, no formal offer. More like a background check than a job interview.

Jacobs put it pretty plainly. “The main priority will be trying to find somebody who is a starter and is more of a specialist on that left-hand side.” That’s the part that matters. United isn’t looking for a project or a Swiss Army knife. They want a guy who own the left flank.

The club has already added midfielders Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans this summer. But they’re not done there. They reportedly want one more midfielder with Manuel Ugarte expected to miss a big chunk of next season. They also need a left winger and a forward to round out the roster. That’s a lot of shopping still to do.

Which brings us back to the left-back search. Luke Shaw is still the starter when healthy. But that “when healthy” part has been the problem. United needs real competition for him, not just a body to put on the bench. Augusto has the experience. Scarles has the upside. But neither has been signed yet, and the clock is ticking.

Versatile players who can play both defense and attack are on United’s radar. That’s smart. But versatility only gets you so far if you don’t have a specialist who can lock down that spot. Right now, United is still looking.