Manchester United Pursue Como Star Martin Baturina After £43m Bid Rejected
Manchester United’s midfield rebuild has taken another sharp turn, and this one comes with a thunderbolt from midweek still echoing around Europe.
Martin Baturina, the Croatia international who lit up his country’s World Cup opener with a vicious, curling strike past Jordan Pickford, has emerged as a serious target for United as Michael Carrick reshapes the heart of his team.
Carrick’s engine-room overhaul gathers pace
United are already deep into their midfield surgery. A deal for Atalanta’s Ederson is close to being confirmed, a key piece in the new manager’s plan to inject energy and aggression into the side.
Casemiro has gone. Manuel Ugarte is on course to reunite with Ruben Amorim at AC Milan. Two experienced operators out, one all-action Brazilian on the way in – and United still want more.
They have cooled on a number of other options. The club are not prepared to get dragged into a straight fight with Manchester City for Elliot Anderson. Sandro Tonali, once heavily linked, now looks destined for City, Arsenal or even Tottenham. Interest remains in West Ham and Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, though Spurs are circling that deal as well.
So United have turned to Como. To Baturina. To a player who offers something different.
The Croatian who won’t go unnoticed
Baturina is only 23, but he already has the look of a player ready for a bigger stage.
On Wednesday night, with Croatia trailing England, he stepped inside and unleashed a thunderous, curling effort that ripped past Pickford and briefly dragged his country level. It was the kind of goal that doesn’t just change a game; it changes a player’s profile overnight.
England eventually pulled away in the second half, but the damage in the scouting departments across Europe had been done. According to reports in Italy, United and Aston Villa are among a growing list of elite clubs tracking the Como man.
They are not alone. Bayern Munich have also enquired about his situation, a clear sign that his rise is no longer flying under the radar.
Como stand firm after £43m offer
Como, guided by Cesc Fabregas, have no intention of becoming a mere stepping stone without a fight.
The Italian club, who paid £22m to prise Baturina from Dinamo Zagreb last summer, have already rejected a £43m bid for their prize asset. They want to keep him, and they have good reason.
Baturina was central to a historic season. Eight goals, four assists, and a driving influence for a Como side that has qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history. He drifted between roles, splitting his time as an attacking midfielder and on the left wing, and looked comfortable in both.
That versatility is precisely what appeals to Carrick. United need bodies in midfield, but they also need flexibility higher up the pitch, especially with the situation on the left flank growing more complicated by the week.
Rashford future opens a lane
Marcus Rashford’s future at Old Trafford looks increasingly fragile. United have reportedly slashed the asking price for the England forward to accelerate a sale, even as club legend Rio Ferdinand urges the hierarchy to rethink and keep him.
If Rashford goes, United will need a new threat from the left. Baturina, who can drift wide, cut inside and still operate as a creative hub, fits that brief.
For now, Como are resisting. Fabregas’ side know exactly what they have: a multi-role midfielder with end product, Champions League football on the horizon and a market that is only just waking up to his ceiling.
United, though, are in the middle of a decisive summer. The old guard in midfield has gone, the next wave is being assembled, and the club cannot afford to miss on the players who will define Carrick’s era.
If Baturina’s strike against England was a statement on the world stage, the next question is simple: will his next big shot come in the red of Manchester United?
