From Anderson to Tchouameni: Eight midfielders Man United wanted to sign before £155m rebuild
Manchester United have finally completed their midfield rebuild after bringing in Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
The Red Devils have splashed £155 million on the trio as head coach Michael Carrick looks to completely transform his midfield options.
Several midfielders were linked with a move to Old Trafford even before the summer window opened, but a number of deals ultimately fell through.
Elliot Anderson
United had identified Elliot Anderson as their primary midfield target after the Englishman enjoyed a sensational 2025-26 campaign.
However, Nottingham Forest made it clear they would only consider selling their star midfielder for a fee comfortably above £100 million.
INEOS ultimately backed away from the deal, allowing Manchester City to swoop in and sign Anderson for £116 million.
Sandro Tonali
Tonali could be an ideal signing for the Red Devils but Tottenham Hotspur were determined to win the race for the Newcastle United star.
Spurs were reportedly prepared to pay around £100m and make Tonali one of the highest-paid players at the club.
United were unwilling to take such a huge financial gamble and also had reservations over the midfielder’s off-field issues related to betting.
The Red Devils eventually decided against making a serious move for the Italian.
Mateus Fernandes
After abandoning the Anderson pursuit, INEOS turned their attention to Mateus Fernandes and were determined to prise him away from West Ham United.
United wanted the Hammers to lower their staggering £85 million valuation, but Tottenham were prepared to meet the asking price.
The Red Devils submitted an £80 million package including add-ons, but refused to go higher after Fernandes failed to show a strong desire to move to Old Trafford.
Shea Charles
Former Southampton midfielder Shea Charles also emerged as a potential target, although United ultimately prioritised players further along in their development.
Charles joined Fulham this month in a deal that could eventually reach £30m.
United will now have the opportunity to monitor the 22-year-old closely and see whether he can make the step up to Premier League football.
Aurelien Tchouameni
Tchouameni could have been a dream signing for the Red Devils.
He would have been a perfect replacement for Casemiro but the player wanted to stay at Real Madrid.
Reports also suggested that Tchouameni had agreed to a contract extension, although the Spanish giants are yet to officially announce it.
Eduardo Camavinga
Eduardo Camavinga was another Real Madrid midfielder who was reportedly available this summer as the club looked to create space in their squad.
His versatility would have made him particularly attractive, with the Frenchman capable of operating in both midfield and at left-back.
However, Camavinga was determined to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu and fight for his place under head coach Jose Mourinho.
Manu Kone
AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone was also linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams during the summer window.
His impressive performances at the FIFA World Cup only strengthened his reputation and attracted further attention.
United could potentially have secured Kone for a considerably cheaper fee, but the club ultimately preferred midfielders with proven Premier League experience.
Ederson
Ederson appeared destined to become the first signing of the Michael Carrick era after United reached a £39 million agreement with Atalanta.
However, a late Brazil call-up for the World Cup forced United to delay his medical and complicated the transfer.
The deal eventually collapsed after the medical examination raised concerns over his knee problems.
Stats from Fotmob.com
(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([“_mgc.load”])})(window,”_mgq”);
Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .
