Manchester United have strengthened their midfield with the signings of Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Santos arrived for an initial fee of up to £48 million, while Tielemans' £35 million release clause was triggered after Belgium's World Cup exit. The departures of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte's long-term knee injury forced United into the market, and they now also target Brighton's Carlos Baleba.
Option 1: Mainoo double pivot
Kobbie Mainoo revived his career under manager Michael Carrick after being frozen out by Ruben Amorim. He formed a strong partnership with Casemiro, playing a box-to-box role. Tielemans, similar to Mainoo in his attacking style, could partner him in a double pivot for games where United dominate possession. However, pairing Mainoo with Santos is tactically astute, allowing Mainoo freedom going forward.
Potential line-up: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Santos, Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
Option 2: Cunha and Mount unleashed
Mason Mount has struggled with injuries since joining in 2023 and has not shown his full attacking potential. A 4-2-2-2 formation could allow Mount and Matheus Cunha to play as attacking midfielders, with Santos and Tielemans protecting the back four. This setup could overload opponents and maximise the attacking output of Cunha and Mount, who cost a combined £85 million.
Potential line-up: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Mount, Cunha; Sesko, Mbeumo.
Option 3: Build a team around Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford returns from a loan stint at Barcelona, where he scored fewer goals than his 30 in 2022/23. He is likely to be sold, but his quality as an explosive wide player could be valuable. Tielemans' ability to play defence-splitting passes could combine with Rashford's pace on the flank.
Potential line-up: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Mainoo, Amad, Fernandes, Rashford; Mbeumo.
Option 4: Santos and Tielemans pairing
The two new signings could start together. Santos averages 14.4 forward passes per 90 minutes and excels in defensive midfield, while Tielemans offers vision and dictation of play. Squad depth will be crucial as United compete on multiple fronts; last season they played a record-low 40 games, but deeper runs will require rotation.
Potential line-up: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos, Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo.
