Manchester United's Midfield Rebuild and Transfer Plans
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has spent the last two Mondays on Manchester United duty. One week, he watched a laboured win over Leeds United at Old Trafford and stared straight at the problems. The next, he walked into Carrington with Champions League football almost secured and the mood transformed.
Michael Carrick’s victory at Stamford Bridge has dragged United to the brink of Europe’s top table again. That changes everything. Champions League money widens the transfer lens, sharpens the ambition and gives Ratcliffe and his football department more room to manoeuvre.
Carrick’s own future remains unresolved, but the recruitment machine is already running. Chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell are feeding plans directly into Ratcliffe. The club believes it can press ahead on key targets regardless of who sits in the dugout next season.
Midfield rebuild at the heart of the plan
Midfield is the priority. United expect to sign two players in that area, with the mix still under debate. The new arrivals must dovetail with each other and with Kobbie Mainoo, who is close to agreeing a new contract. The club also wants to promote one midfielder from the academy, with Tyler Fletcher and Jim Thwaites already training around the first team.
Among the options, Carlos Baleba remains firmly in the frame. United broadly agreed personal terms with him last summer before Brighton & Hove Albion’s demands pushed any deal out of reach. Since then, his season has stuttered: substituted in 15 Premier League games, taken off at half-time four times, and completing 90 minutes only three times.
One of those full games, though, came in Brighton’s 3-0 win over Chelsea on Tuesday, when he impressed, notably robbing Robert Sanchez in the box to create a major chance for Jack Hinshelwood. United have kept a close eye on him throughout. Scouts tracked Cameroon at AFCON with Baleba in mind, and internally his data scores well for ground coverage, ball-winning and passing.
United staff believe last summer’s interest unsettled him and contributed to his uneven club form, alongside some minor injuries. His performances for Cameroon helped restore his confidence, and Brighton coaches have backed him through a difficult spell.
Even so, he sits in a lower price bracket on United’s midfield list. When his stock peaked after two standout seasons, United were prepared to go to £75m. Brighton, under hard-nosed owner Tony Bloom, wanted more than £100m. Now United are thought to value him closer to £50m. Whether that figure tempts Bloom is another matter.
Elliot Anderson, though, is the name that excites people at Old Trafford most. His all-action style has put him top of United’s midfield shortlist. Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is understood to want as much as £125m. He has already shown his resolve, standing firm on Morgan Gibbs-White last summer despite Tottenham Hotspur trying to trigger his exit clause. If Forest are relegated, logic says Anderson’s price will have to fall.
United are also considering Adam Wharton, whose progressive passing and composure have stood out during a 47-game season for club and country. Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is known as a tough negotiator, though, and the fee required could be beyond United’s budget.
Aurelien Tchouameni has been discussed in internal meetings as well. The 26-year-old has been one of Real Madrid’s most reliable performers this season, and there is no clarity on whether Real would even entertain offers, or if the player has any appetite to move. A new contract in Madrid remains a realistic outcome.
Sandro Tonali is viewed as financially out of reach. United have also watched Matheus Fernandes at West Ham United, Alex Scott at Bournemouth and Joao Gomes at Wolves.
The challenge is obvious: United want two midfielders, but repeating last summer’s pattern of multiple £70m-plus deals looks unlikely given the scale of work needed elsewhere in the squad.
Centre-back hunt and Van de Ven intrigue
Attention is also fixed on the centre-back market. Inside the club, there is strong belief that Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro can grow into a partnership of the calibre of Arsenal’s Gabriel and William Saliba. Even so, recruitment staff want another defender to handle the extra strain of Champions League football.
The ideal profile is clear: a dominant, left-footed centre-back. Heaven is emerging in that mould, but doubts linger over Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez after injury-ravaged campaigns. Harry Maguire, 33, is in excellent form, yet cannot be expected to shoulder a full season that includes midweek European fixtures.
Micky Van de Ven is on the list. The 25-year-old, who spoke at length with Gary Neville in December about his career, is expected to draw serious interest regardless of which division Tottenham are in next season. His contract runs to 2029, protecting his value, but relegation would make exits for Spurs’ best players easier to negotiate.
Defensively, his season has been turbulent, yet his attacking numbers are eye-catching: seven goals in 40 appearances, with his driving run and assist for Brennan Johnson at Old Trafford in 2024 still vivid for United supporters. His speed, carrying ability and recovery tackles are seen as major assets. Liverpool have monitored him before and could re-enter the race, as could several leading clubs across Europe.
Outgoings to fund the overhaul
For all the ambition, United still need to sell. Manuel Ugarte is high on the list of potential departures. Signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £50.5m in 2024, he has never truly settled and is set to be made available. Ratcliffe is understood to favour a sale, a view hardened by watching Ugarte start against Leeds in place of the injured Mainoo from the Old Trafford directors’ box.
Champions League revenue and transfer income will dictate how far United can push on incomings. One of the biggest financial levers is Casemiro. Removing his wages will open up significant room in the budget. A clause in his deal can still be triggered if he starts all remaining matches, extending his stay and restoring his full £350,000-per-week salary with Champions League qualification. Yet both sides have an agreement: he will leave.
By walking away from an annual salary of £18.2m and becoming a free agent, Casemiro strengthens his hand with interested clubs. An MLS move is a real possibility, with Inter Miami – in a city he visits regularly – already in talks.
Four big signings – and maybe more
United’s working plan is to make four major signings: two midfielders, a centre-back, plus an experienced striker. A left-back is also on the agenda. Tyrell Malacia is set to depart and Luke Shaw will need more rest with European fixtures back on the calendar.
Some agents believe the squad needs even deeper surgery, suggesting United could end up three players heavier than currently envisaged. A left winger is under consideration too, though Matheus Cunha has found rhythm in that role and Patrick Dorgu is also viewed as someone who could operate there.
All of it hinges on money, sales and a Champions League place that now looks within reach. Ratcliffe has seen United up close on two very different Mondays. The next time he walks into Old Trafford, the decisions he makes on this squad will define the shape – and ceiling – of his new era.
