Manchester United must look elsewhere in their pursuit of new midfield reinforcements after declining to match Tottenham's £85 million bid for West Ham youngster Mateus Fernandes. Spurs are set to seal a deal for the 21-year-old after agreeing to meet the Hammers' valuation, something United were not prepared to do. This means they have now missed out on their top two targets this summer, having also watched Manchester City thrash out a £116 million agreement with Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson.
United's Midfield Crisis
United have struck a deal to bring Ederson in from Atalanta for £35 million, but remain in dire need of an elite midfielder following Casemiro's departure at the end of last season. The club's midfield options have been further depleted by the exits of other players, leaving manager Erik ten Hag with a pressing need to strengthen the engine room.
Express Sport looks at seven options United could move for to fix their midfield, ranging from Premier League proven talents to high-profile European stars.
Alex Scott
United have had the 22-year-old Bournemouth midfielder on their radar for much of this season, with his stock rising steadily as other targets have slipped through their fingers. Scott boasts Premier League pedigree and delivered an outstanding campaign for the Cherries, earning himself a place in England's pre-World Cup training camp. His impressive form has reportedly also caught the eye of Arsenal.
Bournemouth are eager to secure the former Bristol City midfielder on a new contract this summer and may include a release clause, as they did with Antoine Semenyo twelve months ago. Semenyo subsequently departed for Manchester City midway through the campaign, but United's urgent need for midfield reinforcements may mean they cannot afford to wait.
Aurelien Tchouameni
The France international is the most high-profile name on United's radar and is a player the club have been monitoring for several months, having been made aware that a departure from Real Madrid this summer is not entirely out of the question. Real bosses continue to insist he is going nowhere, despite a fight with captain Federico Valverde towards the end of last season. Jose Mourinho also wants to keep the 26-year-old.
United would nonetheless enter the race should Tchouameni become available. That prospect appears remote at present, though the landscape could shift if Real Madrid secure a high-profile midfield signing of their own this summer.
Carlos Baleba
Baleba is arguably the third midfielder United have walked away from owing to an inflated asking price over the past 12 months. The club showed interest in acquiring him a year ago but were deterred by Brighton's valuation of £100 million. Interest from United persists, yet there has been little tangible progress so far this summer. Despite the 22-year-old enduring a challenging season on the south coast, Brighton have shown little willingness to substantially lower their asking price.
Adam Wharton
Interest in Wharton has cooled considerably. The England international has attracted plenty of suitors, but there is a feeling at Old Trafford that he is too alike Kobbie Mainoo to function effectively alongside him in a two-man midfield.
Felix Nmecha
Nmecha has an admirer within the walls of Carrington in director of football Jason Wilcox, who played a significant role in City's academy during Nmecha's 14-year stint at the club as a youngster. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is a player a number of Premier League clubs have had their eye on, with United reportedly among them, but his World Cup campaign ended in disappointment as he was substituted at half-time during Germany's penalty defeat to Paraguay, with his influence fading as the tournament progressed.
Other Options
United harboured an interest in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali earlier this summer, but have thus far shown no appetite to enter the race with Tottenham for his signature. At the more affordable end of the market, they have also cast their eye over Fulham's Sander Berge and USA midfielder Tyler Adams, who lines up alongside Scott at Bournemouth.
