Manchester United entered the summer transfer window with big plans and as the World Cup approaches its end, things are now starting to take shape. Considering the peak of the summer transfer activity is unlikely to be hit until the World Cup is over, United have been proactive in the market, wrapping up deals for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.
With those two now in the building, the midfield overhaul the club have spent months planning for would now appear to be in its final stages. The Red Devils are expected to pursue one more central midfielder to further enhance Michael Carrick's squad.
1) Manu Kone
With France now out of the World Cup, it wouldn't be a surprise if things were to advance with Kone. The AS Roma star has been touted as a target for United in recent days and is the perfect profile for the type of midfielder they are looking for to complement their new captures and Kobbie Mainoo.
Kone is coming off the back of a superb World Cup campaign and it's unlikely Manchester United will be his only suitors. But with the Premier League very much seen as the place to be, there is every chance United would have a strong chance of landing the 25-year-old if they decide he is the final piece of their midfield jigsaw.
2) Eduardo Camavinga
Okay, so Aurelien Tchouameni is now looking like a non-starter due to the fact that he's understood to have agreed a new contract at Real Madrid. But could Camavinga offer a viable alternative? He is another player who has been mentioned in recent days and has the pedigree that would make him an attractive signing for Manchester United. At 22 years of age, he's a long way off his peak, too.
The big downside, though, is that as things stand, Camavinga has no desire to leave the Bernabeu this summer. But if that changes as the weeks tick by, then Manchester United could see Camavinga as the cherry on top of the cake when it comes to their midfield business this summer.
3) Alex Scott
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both had a significant impact after joining Manchester United last summer. And with Santos and Tielemans two other Premier League-ready recruits, perhaps another domestic move for Scott will emerge as the most attractive option for the Old Trafford hierarchy.
Bournemouth were ransacked for several top talents last year and are desperate to keep hold of Scott, whose stellar 2025-26 campaign put him on Thomas Tuchel's radar for England. He would also likely command a transfer fee north of £70m. But the pros of this deal would far outweigh the cons — if United were able to fend off reported rival interest from some of their 'Big Six' rivals.
4) Ayyoub Bouaddi
Few players have enhanced their reputations as much as Bouaddi during the World Cup, with the uber-talented teenager playing a starring role in Morocco's run to the quarter-finals. The 18-year-old now seems destined for a blockbuster summer transfer with a whole host of European heavyweights understood to hold an interest in him, including Manchester City.
Whether or not United will pull the trigger remains to be seen, particularly given Lille would likely demand €100m (£85m). But there is no doubt Bouaddi will be on their radar as they ponder one final midfield move.
5) Ederson
He was supposed to be Manchester United's first summer signing before things took a turn late last week. But could Ederson still end up at Old Trafford as part of project Midfield Overhaul? Stranger things have happened. It's been reported that a knee issue led to United backing out of talks.
But there have already been whispers that the deal could be resurrected later this summer depending on how the transfer window progresses for all parties. Given United have already done their due diligence on Ederson, it would make sense for them to revisit a deal for him if they encounter further difficulties in their search for a third central midfielder.
