MANCHESTER UNITED have an incredible three-man shortlist of Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba to bolster their midfield.
Ruben Amorim wants to continue with the strategy of targeting Premier League-proven stars — and central midfield is his next project.
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Anderson impressed against United recentlyCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Wharton made his full England debut in Albania on SundayCredit: Getty
Carlos Baleba was looked at in the summerCredit: Alamy
The club are now weighing up which headline midfield move is the best for Amorim and are tracking three eye-catching names.
Nottingham Forest talisman Anderson has been a star of Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup qualifying campaign.
And United are also tracking Wharton of Crystal Palace and went close to Brighton enforcer Baleba in the summer.
If those three clubs dug their heels in over January deals, United would be willing to wait until the summer, instead of chasing players of less interest from outside the Prem.
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The summer signings of Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford have paid off so far for United.
£71million Mbeumo is United’s top scorer this term with six goals and Cunha, who cost £62.5m, has become a growing influence in manager Ruben Amorim’s new-look attack.
After the £80m signing of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019, the only player United bought from a Premier League club before Cunha’s arrival in June was Mason Mount from Chelsea in 2023.
Midfield is regarded as the priority by the United deal-makers as part of the next phase of their rebuild under Ruben Amorim.
The club invested more than £200m to bring in Mbeumo, Cunha and striker Benjamin Sesko, goalkeeper Senne Lammens was recruited on transfer deadline day while Patrick Dorgu joined in January.
United will have the finances to invest heavily in a midfield linchpin in the summer, with Casemiro likely to be released unless he accepts a salary reduction on a new contract.
Casemiro, who turns 34 in February, is approaching the final seven months of his contract, which expires in the summer.
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United will not trigger the one-year extension in Casemiro’s deal as the Brazil international is one of only three players who earns in excess of £300,000-a-week.
Jadon Sancho, one of United’s highest earners on £250,000-a-week, will be released in June.
Shifting Sancho and Casemiro would save more than £31m a year in wages.
Additional savings will be made through the release of unwanted left back Tyrell Malacia, who is also out of contract in seven months.
United are due to receive £38m from Napoli, who are obliged to make Rasmus Hojlund’s loan move permanent next year.
Barcelona have an option to buy Marcus Rashford for £30m. Rashford, whose £325,000 weekly salary is being covered by Barca in full, has tallied six goals and nine assists in 16 appearances on loan for the Spanish champions.
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