Manchester United\u2019s midfield will look very different by the start of next season and this is how we think their rebuild will unfold via seven deals\u2026<\/p>\n
To buck recent trends, the Red Devils<\/a> have been lauded for their transfer business in recent months after a rare positive window in the summer.<\/p>\n As evidenced by this damning list of signings,<\/a> Man Utd have got plenty wrong in the days following Sir Alex Ferguson\u2019s retirement, but INEOS steadied the ship with their work on incomings and exits in the summer.<\/p>\n Sir Jim Ratcliffe\u2019s recruitment team did an admirable job of offloading most of their dead wood on their terms, with this business raising funds for signings in priority areas.<\/p>\n Ruben Amorim<\/a>\u2018s side largely focused on bolstering their attack in the summer, which is understandable given how toothless they were last term, by signing Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. They also fixed their goalkeeping department as Senne Lammens replaced one of last season\u2019s many weak links, Andre Onana.<\/p>\n United\u2019s hit rate with these signings was unusually high for their standards, with Sesko currently the only one with dud potential.<\/p>\n All of this has set Man Utd up for an increasingly credible challenge for Champions League qualification this season, but a midfield overhaul is next on INEOS\u2019 to-do list as they look to realise their goal of winning the Premier League title by 2028.<\/a><\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Liverpool in \u2018comedy week\u2019 as \u00a330m star \u2018better\u2019 than Wirtz as Arsenal \u2018totally vilified\u2019, Man Utd lauded<\/a><\/p>\n Despite the impressive form of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, central midfield has become a problem area for Man Utd as injuries and a lack of quality options have impacted Amorim\u2019s side.<\/p>\n Also, for various reasons, each of Man Utd\u2019s four main midfield options are facing an uncertain future, and a recent report claimed Fernandes, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte could leave as part of a \u2018fire sale\u2019 next year.<\/a><\/p>\n So, what will happen with these four players and who will be brought in to replace those who move on?<\/p>\n Well, starting in January, Man Utd\u2019s activity is likely to be limited due to the winter market\u2019s instability and their lack of funds.<\/p>\n But\u00a0Mainoo would be the one to leave if there are any exits at all due to his reported insistence on having more game time, though this is dependent on Man Utd replacing the England international in the same window.<\/a><\/p>\n This prohibited Mainoo from securing a loan move elsewhere at the end of the summer\u2019s window, but Man Utd will have a full month to find a solution that could suit all parties.<\/p>\n Given Man Utd\u2019s financial situation, only a short-term solution is likely in January, and Atletico Madrid\u2019s Conor Gallagher, preferably purely on loan, is perhaps their most realistic target to tick a box until the summer.<\/p>\n In this context, the former Chelsea man would be the best like-for-like replacement for Mainoo they could hope for until the summer, with this deal being enough to permit the youngster\u2019s loan to Napoli.<\/p>\n There has also been little indication of Mainoo wanting to leave Man Utd permanently, so in an ideal world, he plays regularly for Napoli for six months and returns to Old Trafford better for the experience.<\/p>\n By which point, he could become a starter for Man Utd alongside Carlos Baleba in what is still likely to be the club\u2019s next long-term midfield pairing.<\/p>\n MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365\u2026 If Man Utd had their way, Baleba would already be playing in Amorim\u2019s side and in a similar situation to Marc Guehi with Liverpool, it has been reported that the player and club still have their hearts set on each other heading into 2026.<\/a><\/p>\n While Mainoo remains the ideal long-term replacement for Fernandes, the same can be said for Baleba and Casemiro, who is also on borrowed time at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n Despite the form and attitude of Casemiro this season, age is not on the Brazil international\u2019s side as he is surely in the final year or two of playing at the top level.<\/p>\n Still, Casemiro\u2019s immense resurgence this term means it is looking increasingly likely that he could remain at Man Utd for at least one more year, with a new deal on lesser terms rather than an extension of his current deal more probable.<\/p>\n It would certainly boost Man Utd if Casemiro sticks around to help with Baleba\u2019s integration in a reduced role currently adopted by Ugarte, who needs to be shown the door next year.<\/p>\n INEOS will hope that the \u00a350m midfielder is one of Man Utd\u2019s last major flops as their rebuild develops, with the former PSG man incredibly limited in possession and clearly not up to the required standard for the club.<\/p>\n It would be to the benefit of player and club if they part ways in January or next summer, which is also the case with Fernandes after the captain fired shots at club chiefs over their alleged push for him to move to Saudi Arabia.<\/a><\/p>\n Fernandes has been Man Utd\u2019s best player over recent years, but they are short of time to cash in on their captain for \u00a360m+ and next summer is perhaps their last opportunity to do so.<\/p>\n
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