Manchester United have finalized deals with Andrej Santos and Youri Tielemans, but still have another midfielder on the market for the new Premier League season
Manu Corn is a player Manchester United are believed to be interested in (Image: Stefan Koops/EYE4IMAGES/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Manchester United enter the summer transfer window with big plans and things are starting to take shape as we approach the end of the World Cup.
Given that summer transfer activity is unlikely to peak until after the World Cup, United have been active in the market, finalizing deals for Andrej Santos and Youri Tielemans.
With the arrival of these two players, the club’s midfield overhaul, which has been planned for several months, appears to be in its final stages.
The Red Devils are expected to sign another central midfielder to further strengthen manager Michael Carrick’s squad, but who will it be? Let’s look at five possible options…
1) Manu Corn
Now that France is out of the World Cup, it wouldn’t be surprising if Kone’s performance moves things forward.
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 the likes of their new catcher and Coby Mainu.
Kone is coming off an impressive World Cup campaign and Manchester United are unlikely to be his only suitors. However, with the Premier League being heavily looked at as a venue, there is a good chance that United could sign the 25-year-old if they decide he is the final piece of their midfield jigsaw.
2) Eduardo Camavinga
Eduardo Camavinga has been linked with Manchester United this week (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Now, Aurélien Choameny is understood to have agreed a new contract with Real Madrid, so it looks like he will not be in the starting XI at the moment. But can Camavinga offer a viable alternative?
He is another player whose name has been mentioned in recent days and has the pedigree that would make him an attractive signing for Manchester United. At 22 years old, he is far from his peak. However, the big drawback is that Camavinga currently has no intention of leaving the Bernabéu this summer. However, if the situation changes as the weeks go by, Manchester United could see Camavinga as the icing on the cake when it comes to midfield business this summer.
3) Alex Scott
Alex Scott has been praised by many of the Premier League’s big guns (Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Brian Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have both made a huge impact since joining Manchester United last summer. And with Santos and Tielemans two other newcomers likely to feature in the Premier League, a domestic move for the Scot will likely emerge as the most attractive option for the Old Trafford hierarchy.
Bournemouth were robbed of several top talents last year and are keen to sign the Scot, who caught the eye of England manager Thomas Tuchel following his impressive performance in the 2025-26 season. The transfer fee is also likely to exceed £70 million.
However, if United can fend off rival interest from some of their ‘big six’ rivals, the pros of this deal will far outweigh the cons.
4) Ayyub Buadi
Lille’s Ayyoub Bouadi excelled for Morocco at the World Cup (Image: Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Few players have enjoyed the reputation of Bouadi during the World Cup, with the talented teenager starring in Morocco’s run to the quarter-finals.
The 18-year-old now looks destined for a big summer move, with a number of top European players understood to be interested in him, including Manchester City. It remains to be seen whether United will pull the trigger, especially given that Lille are likely to ask for €100m (approximately 8.5 billion yen). But Bouadi will definitely be on the radar as they consider their final move in midfield.
5) Edelson
Ederson’s transfer fell through earlier this month (Image: Getty Images)
He was supposed to be Manchester United’s first summer signing until things turned around late last week. But will Ederson remain at Old Trafford as part of a midfield overhaul project? A strange thing happened.
United are reported to have pulled out of negotiations due to a knee problem. However, there are already whispers that the contract could be revived later this summer, depending on the progress of the transfer market among all parties involved. Given that United have already done their due diligence in signing Ederson, it would make sense for them to reconsider signing him if they face further difficulties in finding a third central midfielder.
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