Manchester United will strengthen their midfield this summer with an eye on Newcastle duo Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali, as well as other options.
Manchester United are eyeing a new addition to their midfield and are considering signing Bruno Guimarães (Image: Offside, via Getty Images)
Manchester United are looking to strengthen their midfield in the summer, with increased interest in Newcastle star Bruno Guimarães.
The Red Devils spent a lot of money to strengthen their front line before the start of the season, but the center of the pitch will be their next focus. This is a position that coach Ruben Amorim wanted to strengthen, and their plans remain unchanged even after the Portuguese coach was sacked.
Old Trafford bosses are reportedly in talks to sign Newcastle captain Guimarães for £69m. If the Red Devils continue to sign the Brazilian into the summer, they will face competition from Real Madrid, who have reignited long-standing interest.
United have also been linked with Newcastle teammate Sandro Tonali, but a double is unlikely. The Magpies will be loath to lose either of their midfield lieutenants, but both players continue to attract interest from elsewhere.
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Tonali is thought to come with a £100m price tag, which would make Guimarães a much cheaper option. Newcastle signed him for £40m in 2022, just months after the Saudi takeover. They’re going to make a lot of money, but they’d definitely rather keep him. The absence of European football could hurt if they miss out, especially as United are in good form and are well on their way to returning to the Champions League.
The Red Devils’ shortlist also includes Tyler Adams, Elliott Anderson, Carlos Bareva, Joao Gomez and Adam Wharton, all of whom have proven themselves in the Premier League. Baleva had been a target for 12 months, but Brighton’s price tag prevented them from making a move.
Gomez, who has been a bright spot for Wolves, is likely to be one of several players to leave Molineux if they fall to the Championship as expected. Gomes will be playing in the second tier next season unless he makes the best of his escape, but he has shown he is Premier League quality.
Joao Gomez is ready to leave if Wolves are relegated (Image: Brett Patzke/WWFC)
United’s midfield is set to undergo a makeover by the summer. It has already been confirmed that Casemiro will move on after his contract expires, as the club did not take up the option to extend his contract.
There are persistent doubts about Manuel Ugarte, who has not played in Manchester since moving from PSG in 2024. Koby Mainu has become a regular again under manager Michael Carrick, but is still inexperienced and would benefit from having experienced quality alongside him.
A return to the top table of European football would give United more room to spend than they otherwise would. More than £200m was spent in attack in the summer and adding two quality midfielders to the squad is likely to cost more than £100m.
Manchester United want to strengthen their new-style midfield next season
The return to a more traditional midfield structure freed up Bruno Fernandes, who once again excelled as the team’s number 10. That role did not exist during the Amorim era, but the Portuguese star is enjoying one of his best seasons to date.
Old Trafford’s new midfielder will need to complement Fernandes’ presence in the final third, strengthen the back four’s defense and dictate games. Guimarães ticked these boxes and helped Newcastle to silverware.
There could also be an upgrade at right-back to replace Diogo Dalot. But for now, the Portuguese has maintained his place as he has been given plenty of minutes under Carrick.
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