Manchester United have had success in recent transfer windows, signing established Premier League stars – and that could be their strategy for a new midfielder.
Ineos last led an impressive summer recruitment drive (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
For the first time in a while, Manchester United can look back on the summer transfer window and think, “Yes, we were right.”
There have been several false dawns in this sector. The summer of 2021 concluded with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the addition of Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane. It looked great on paper, but it didn’t translate well on the pitch.
Other transfer windows didn’t look good from the start and there was an element of panic, which quickly turned out to be the case. If there’s one thing United have done terribly wrong in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, it’s recruiting.
But the summer of 2025 will likely be the best summer of this decade. Brian Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have had excellent seasons with Brentford and Wolves respectively, shining brightly and playing key roles in United’s rise up the table. Benjamin Sesco is becoming more and more influential, while Senne Lamence, who was an unknown quantity before his signing, is now a gem that no one has ever seen.
Part of the reason for this is that Ineos has announced a recruitment policy that gives preferential treatment to players who have proven their ability in the Premier League. That’s why more than £120 million was spent on Mbeumo and Cunha, with both players looking more than worth their salt.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his mates look set to keep it that way. After all, don’t change anything that doesn’t need to be fixed. And while attack was the priority last summer, midfield is the priority this time around. Casemiro is set to leave, and he could be followed by the likes of Manuel Ugarte, a foreign player who hasn’t fared well. Where have you heard of such a thing?
Three players have long been mentioned as potential additions, and all have proven themselves to be key players in England’s top flight. Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace maestro Adam Wharton have all been linked with a move to Manchester.
This represents a change from the days when United were looking to spend huge sums of money to sign Frenkie de Jong, but unfortunately missed out on signing him. There’s no denying that the Dutch star, who has enjoyed an illustrious career, wouldn’t be an asset to United. But league changes come with unknowns.
Matheus Cunha and Brian Mbeumo have more than proven their worth (Image: Manchester United FC 2025)
Ratcliffe and Co. appear determined to break through that variable and pursue England’s players to the hilt. After all, this method has resulted in 17 goals from Mbeumo and Cunha this year, some of which were match-winners.
Tonali has repeatedly shown his quality since joining Newcastle for £55 million, and has even been instrumental in the Reds’ victory at Old Trafford in the past. Anderson is a player likely to receive offers from both Manchester clubs, and Nottingham Forest will be determined to maximize their profits if they move him as expected.
Wharton has made tremendous progress since joining Selhurst Park from Blackburn Rovers. England honors and the FA Cup have followed the 22-year-old, who has looked back home with every new challenge.
Elliot Anderson caught the attention of the people of Manchester (Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Whoever comes in may praise Koby Mainu, who has returned to the starting lineup since coach Ruben Amorim was fired. The former United manager was keen to sign a midfielder but ultimately ran out of money after spending £200m on a forward last summer.
He never got the best out of his attacking trio, but part of that was due to the system he continued to employ. Manager Michael Carrick has impressed them, and whoever takes charge of the club next season could benefit from yet another quality midfielder if the Red Devils can get a deal over the line.
It will likely need to be a Champions League-level player, but Ineos’ desire to make a move means the new center is likely to get a job in the Premier League, which could further whet the appetite at Old Trafford.
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