United View: Reds bolster in midfield

Manchester United’s summer transfer window has been well and truly sprung into life, with three new signings confirmed within a matter of days. 

Just a couple of weeks ago, I suggested any hopes of a strong midfield rebuild were fading away, and here I am eating my words following the arrival of Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans – a deal that no one saw coming. 

After catching wind of his £35 million release clause, United moved quickly to secure the signature of the 29-year-old Belgian, who will add both quality and Premier League experience to Michael Carrick’s midfield. 

With the ever expanding media landscape, and the standard of journalism constantly improving, it’s almost impossible for a signing to be confirmed nowadays without anyone having prior knowledge. 

But for this to come out of absolutely nowhere was so refreshing, and perhaps a sign that those at Old Trafford have finally found a way to stop the dreaded leaks. 

Elsewhere, in a shock turn of events, United have turned their back on Atalanta midfielder Ederson, following weeks of negotiations. 

After agreeing a £35m fee with the Italian club, The Reds have pulled the plug on the deal, with reports citing medical issues as a potential factor.  

Instead, the club have turned their attention to another Brazilian – Chelsea’s Andrey Santos – who joins in a deal worth £50m. 

Though still relatively raw, the 22-year-old looked bright for the Blues last season, and could prove to be a shrewd pick up going forward. 

Finally, United have also strengthened in the goalkeeping department, with Karl Darlow making the rare switch from Leeds United following the expiry of his contract. 

The 35-year-old - who is currently Wales’ number one - is likely to act as the backup to Senne Lammens, with Altay Bayindir’s departure seemingly on the horizon. 

In other news, whatever happens, Manchester United will have a representative in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, but at the time of writing, it remains to be seen who that will be. 

Both Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford will battle it out with teammate Lisandro Martinez for a place in the final, as England take on Argentina. 

Martinez has been a key figure in his nation’s run, unlike in 2022 when he mostly watched from the sidelines. 

This has unfortunately been the case for Mainoo, who is yet to feature for Tuchel’s side this tournament. 

Likewise, if Rashford is to feature, this is also likely to be from the bench, with Anthony Gordon currently preferred on the left. 

With World Cup fever in full flow, it would be easy to forget that United play themselves this week, with a pre-season friendly with Wrexham to come on Saturday.