Manchester United went into this summer knowing their midfield needed a full reboot. Casemiro was leaving. Manuel Ugarte was expected to follow. The plan was aggressive and it started with a swing at Atalanta’s Ederson — a deal that got agreed but then collapsed when the Brazilian failed his medical.
So United pivoted. They landed Andrey Santos, the young Brazilian viewed as Casemiro’s long-term successor in the national team setup. Then they grabbed Youri Tielemans, a deep-lying playmaker whose profile has been missing from this squad for years. Two signings. Combined cost: around £85 million. Not bad for a club that’s been criticized for overspending.
But here’s the thing. They wanted three midfielders this window. They still want three. And right now, the money is running low.
The Ugarte problem
The plan was to sell Ugarte and use those funds to bring in a third midfielder — a physical, defensive-minded presence to sit in front of the backline. Names like Carlos Baleba, Manu Kone, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga have all been linked. Big names. Expensive names.
Then Ugarte got hurt. Knee injury. Out for the foreseeable future. That sale isn’t happening now, and the money that was supposed to come with it isn’t coming either.
According to Sky Sports, United are still looking at third-midfielder options but have accepted that this next signing won’t come with a big price tag. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba remain on the radar as longer-term targets, but any deal will likely be a value play rather than a splash.
What’s left in the midfield
With Casemiro gone and Ugarte sidelined, United are thin in the middle. Santos and Tielemans are in. Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes are still around. But that physical anchor — the guy who just sits and cleans things up — is still missing. And with Champions League football back at Old Trafford this season, depth is going to get tested fast.
INEOS has pulled off some surprises already this window, so nobody should rule out a curveball. But the math is what it is. United need to sell before they can buy again.
Marcus Rashford is the most likely big-name departure. His name has been in rumors for weeks and a sale would free up both wages and transfer funds. But there could be other exits too. Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez have both been mentioned as possible departures if the right offers come in. That would be a surprise, sure, but this window has already shown that United’s new ownership group isn’t sentimental.
For now, the midfield rebuild is two-thirds done. The third piece is coming — just don’t expect it to break the bank.
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