Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick could have a real midfield dilemma next season. The Reds are reported to be eyeing up a third addition in the centre of the pitch after signing Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.
Santos, 22, made the £48million plus £2m add-ons move from Chelsea last Monday before Tielemans, 29, joined the Reds from Aston Villa for £35m. The duo have added more Premier League know-how and experience to Carrick's squad after Casemiro's departure at the end of his contract and the serious knee injury to Manuel Ugarte.
Tchouameni emerges as top target
Despite signing Santos and Tielemans, United are in the market for another midfielder and Aurelien Tchouameni has emerged as a top target for the Reds. The France international has been at Real Madrid for the last four years and has made 195 appearances in that time, winning the Champions League and La Liga among other major trophies.
But now, according to The Sun, Real are willing to sell Tchouameni to United. Earlier this month, the Reds enquired about the 26-year-old as they want a specialist defensive midfielder. Although there has been talk that he has agreed a new contract at Real, it's now reported that the club are prepared to offload him to Carrick's United.
Should the Frenchman make the move to United, Carrick would have a real midfield selection headache on his hands with Santos, Tchouameni, Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo all-but battling for two places. This is with the assumption that captain Bruno Fernandes would continue as the No.10 in a three-man midfield next season.
Writers pick their starting midfield
Kieran King: For me, I think Carrick should pick Santos, Tielemans and Fernandes as his starting midfield three against Hull. Santos would act as the more defensive-minded of the trio, while Tielemans is the box-to-box and creative-from-deep midfielder and then Fernandes would be in front of them in the No.10 position. Although Mainoo has been revitalised under Carrick, I do think Tielemans is right now a better fit for United in the No.8 position and has the quality to take the Reds to the next level. His passing range, ability to control a game and unlock an opposition defence in an instant are three of his assets that United have been missing. And then the reason I would have Santos alongside him is purely for his athleticism and ability to break up possession both from an intercepting and tackling perspective. He could complement Tielemans well in the new-look United midfield and it might also give Fernandes even more license to stay forward knowing they are behind.
Patrick Austen-Hardy: Whoever comes into the side, Kobbie Mainoo has to be at the heart. It's likely he will be feeling sorry for himself after not kicking a ball at the World Cup, but he is one of the best at what he does. His composure and bravery on the ball, ability to evade defenders under pressure and always keep it moving forward was vital for Carrick last season. Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos would both be excellent partners for him, and if Aurelien Tchouameni comes through the doors at Old Trafford, the Frenchman and Mainoo must be the midfield duo to protect Bruno Fernandes. It's a midfield which can hold onto the ball and create chances. If United want to go for trophies next season, these are the two main things the midfield needs to be able to do.
Isaac Seelochan: It's hard to see any way that Fernandes and Mainoo won't at least start the new season after impressing under Carrick last term. That leaves just one spot open. Surely Tielemans will play. It's hard to imagine that he left Aston Villa to sit on the bench. But what United really need is a specialist defensive midfielder after Casemiro's exit. It's why a move for Tchouameni sounds so appealing. If United can sign the Frenchman, he will start in midfield with Fernandes and Mainoo. If not, Tielemans will play that role, even though I'm not convinced he will be good enough to play there.
Scott Trotter: It's immediately difficult to squeeze everyone into United's midfield. Have the summer signings been bought to head straight into the starting lineup, or is buying depth just very expensive in the modern game? Bruno Fernandes will likely start as the most advanced option and Youri Tielemans seems likely to provide support from behind, while Kobbie Mainoo proved his importance to Michael Carrick last term. I would like Andrey Santos to prove his value, however. The Brazilian can break up play but has an uncanny ability to ghost into areas to find the net when afforded the opportunity. These options, to a degree, rely on United dominating the ball as they are still without a true anchor. Santos may be able to disrupt play but someone like Tchouameni would prove a more natural choice. It might not be the best option, but for me, seeing if Mainoo and Santos can grow together and become United's midfield pairing for the foreseeable future would be fascinating.
Kieran Horn: As much as I would like to see a midfield pairing of Mainoo and Tielemans, a ball-winner is definitely required but it remains to be seen which of Santos or Tchouameni would compliment the latter better. Mainoo was excellent last season and despite being at the World Cup, he has not had a very busy summer. Tielemans, meanwhile, was hugely influential for Belgium before injury struck. If he is fit enough to start the season, I think it makes more sense to give him Mainoo's role and put him alongside Tchouameni, if he does indeed join. At 22, Santos can be bedded in slowly and come on to see out games while also starting Premier League fixtures around European outings. It is harsh on Mainoo to leave him out but United need the more experienced names to help push on from last season.
