Manchester United have missed out on their top two midfield targets this summer after other clubs made significantly larger offers. The club's newfound parsimony is admirable in many ways, but it has left them searching for a bargain that may not exist in a market distorted by recent big-money moves.
United's Transfer Strategy Falls Short
Having baulked at the idea of paying £116million for Elliot Anderson, an England regular who impressed at the World Cup, United were never going to cough up £85million for Mateus Fernandes, a one-cap Portugal international who has been relegated from the Premier League in back-to-back seasons with Southampton and West Ham. Manchester City agreed to pay nine figures for Anderson, while Tottenham agreed to pay £85million for Fernandes.
According to Tyrone Marshall, Senior Manchester United Football Writer, there is business sense to United's approach. You could argue that the Anderson fee reflects market value given recent midfielder transfers, but it's hard to do the same for Fernandes. His CV remains sparse after Premier League relegations, and although the 21-year-old is a player of promise, it's a sizeable investment in potential.
Market Distortion Creates Challenges
These two deals will distort the market further. Just as Nottingham Forest used the £115million Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo as a benchmark, or the £105million Arsenal spent on Declan Rice in July 2023, so West Ham could now point to £116million for Anderson as a guide for valuing Fernandes. When United consider firming up interest in Alex Scott at Bournemouth or returning to Brighton for Carlos Baleba, they might find valuations have risen again.
Hindsight on Declan Rice
In hindsight, United's most glaring midfield error might be failing to push hard enough for Rice before he joined Arsenal. Rice was open to a move to United, but they never got the deal done. A more aggressive approach might have made it happen, and Rice and Mainoo could have been a successful long-term partnership.
Instead, United continue searching for a new partner for Mainoo after Casemiro's departure. Ederson will arrive from Atalanta, but an A-lister was expected. That is looking harder to do, and the midfielders that have moved this summer are sending the market spiralling. United have their valuations and are determined not to be pushed around, but the idea of landing a midfield bargain at a price they feel represents value might now be like looking for a unicorn.
