Manchester United have had a mixed summer transfer window so far, with optimism early on giving way to frustration as targets were snapped up by rivals, but midfield arrivals Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have eased concerns. With more business expected, the Manchester Evening News has rated every deal done so far.
Transfers in
Andrey Santos (up to £50m from Chelsea) - 7/10
Santos has looked promising in pre-season but is not the finished article, with raw elements to his game. Paying £48m plus £2m in add-ons for a midfielder who couldn't get into a team that finished six places below United last season didn't look good, especially as it's only three years since United gave Chelsea £60m for Mason Mount, which has yet to work out.
United's calculation is that they can give Santos first-team exposure that he can't get at Stamford Bridge, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez blocking his path. He played 27 Premier League games last season (13 starts) and Chelsea fans were generally disappointed to lose him. As it stands, he could end up as United's leading midfield signing this summer, which comes with pressure. The data looks good, but he needs to hit the ground running. This signing feels like a gamble.
Karl Darlow (free transfer) - 6/10
Darlow looks a sensible acquisition on a free transfer. With sizeable churn in United's goalkeeping department, they needed a new No.2. At 35, Darlow brings experience, having played 22 Premier League games for Leeds last season. He also ticks a box as homegrown for squad rules and adds experience behind Senne Lammens, which could be valuable given the Belgian is still learning. The one question mark is that this isn't a long-term deal - Darlow has a two-year deal, but behind Lammens, United now have goalkeepers who are 35 and 40, and they need a plan for a back-up who can stay around.
Youri Tielemans (£35m from Aston Villa) - 7/10
Had Tielemans signed a three-year deal, this transfer might score higher, but a five-year contract for a 29-year-old with an incredible amount of football under his belt is a risk. In the here and now, Tielemans looks a smart addition: proven in the Premier League, a big-game performer, has just captained Belgium in a World Cup, and is excellent on the ball. Carrick is keen to build a midfield of technical players who are excellent at keeping the ball, and Tielemans looks the part. He'll have an excellent start, but the concern is whether he can keep it going over five years.
Tynan Thompson (up to £8m from Tottenham Hotspur) - 6/10
Thompson hasn't been seen in action yet, but academy reports on him are good, and he is set to get a chance at first-team level this summer. He continues a trend of United signing players around 18 who see a pathway blocked, offering them a chance at Old Trafford. Ayden Heaven is a prime example, but Heaven cost £1.5m - can lightning strike twice? United paid £4m up front for Thompson, with the same again in add-ons, and he will need game time to make that fee look a bargain.
Kit Margetson (free transfer, compensation owed to Swansea City) - 6/10
United have a plethora of young goalkeepers now, and it can be a challenging position to develop in. Elyh Harrison's momentum has stalled after his first EFL loan went wrong last season. Margetson had an excellent campaign with Connah's Quay last season, and with a small fee likely, there should be plenty of upside.
Transfers out
Andre Onana (loan to Trabzonspor) - 5/10
For the second season in a row, Onana is heading to Trabzonspor on loan, and it's a deal that doesn't feel like it is doing much for United. They insist they have full wage coverage, but any bonuses in terms of a loan fee depend on the Turkish Super Lig side having a very successful season. United spent £47m on Onana three years ago but now seem unable to generate any kind of market for him, showing how poor this deal has been. Signing off a loan back to Trabzonspor so early in the window was an admission of defeat.
Rasmus Hojlund (£38m to Napoli) - 6/10
United struck a successful loan deal for Hojlund last summer, and he and Napoli have delivered their end of the bargain. Qualification for the Champions League meant the agreed £38m fee was paid. Hojlund got 12 goals in 33 games in Serie A, so on the face of it this is a good fee. He was never likely to return and play back-up to Benjamin Sesko, although it would have been good to see him in Carrick's 4-2-3-1 system. United spent £64m plus £8m in potential add-ons on Hojlund three years ago, so while £38m has avoided an accounting loss, it's another transfer that has clearly failed.
Sekou Kone (loan to Lausanne-Sport) - 6/10
There is no getting away from the fact that this feels like a big campaign for Kone. A switch to Lausanne-Sport in the second half of last season was a damp squib, ruined by injury, but the links with the Ineos-owned club are clearly trusted by United, who will hope Kone can force his way into the starting XI.
Tyler Fredricson (undisclosed to Lausanne-Sport) - 7/10
At 21, Fredricson needs to go and play now, but this is an interesting move. It's another sign of closer collaboration between the two clubs with Ineos ownership, although you do wonder if United could have got a bigger fee elsewhere. They do at least have a sizeable sell-on clause, as well as a buy-back clause, and Fredricson gets the chance to play in the top division of a league with a reasonably high standard. If he kicks on for first-team exposure, United will benefit further down the line.
Elyh Harrison (loan to Greenock Morton) - 5/10
When Harrison returned from an impressive loan spell at Chester in January 2025 to train with the United first team, it felt like his career was ready for lift-off, but his first EFL loan at Shrewsbury Town last season was difficult, and he hasn't yet kicked on. This is a loan move that will take him well out of the public eye to the Scottish Championship, and he needs to get his development back on track. It feels disappointing there wasn't another crack at the EFL for the talented young goalkeeper this season.
