Manchester United have reportedly added Fulham star Sander Berge to their ever-growing midfield shortlist.
The Premier League giants are planning to buy three new midfielders this summer to join Kobbie Mainoo next season. The already thin department was further depleted by Casemiro’s arrival, while Manuel Ugarte has been placed on the shortlist.
Atalanta’s Ederson is expected to be the first acquisition, with the two clubs reaching a £39 million agreement. Mateus Fernandes could be the next to follow, but West Ham insist on their £80 million asking price, so MUFC are keeping other options alive.
Man Utd considering a move for Sander Berge
On Tuesday, The Athletic offered a panoramic insight into Man Utd’s transfer affairs. But while the majority of their names mentioned are already out in the open, the report raised eyebrows by mentioning the club’s interest in Berge.
The 28-year-old is a colossus midfielder who began his career in his native Norway before making a name for himself during his Belgian experience at Genk between 2017 and 2020.
The 6’4” Norwegian international has been playing his football in England since making the £20 million move to Sheffield United in 2020. After a one-year experience at Burnley in the 2023/24 campaign, Fulham paid £25 million to acquire his services.
Berge has cemented himself as a regular feature at Craven Cottage, so the West Londoners would only consider selling him for a profit.
Is Berge the right profile for Man United?
Since Ederson has yet to set foot in the Premier League, and Fernandes is far from a finished article, Man Utd could do with a more experienced profile in the middle of the park.
While he might not be the most exciting name, Berge’s stats show a well-rounded midfielder capable of driving the ball forward like a proper No.8, but also excels in duels and forward passes, making him equally suitable for a No.6 role.
Percentiles Duel% Poss won Prog carries Fwd passes Fwd pass% Key passes Prog passes Minutes
Sander Berge 80.6 43.3 64.4 65.1 85.0 39.4 51.4 3213
75.7 100.0 11.1 90.0 34.7 54.0 84.3 2776
Éderson 54.2 73.8 73.8 86.3 85.4 69.0 79.4 2396
Mateus Fernandes 82.4 83.5 58.3 60.4 74.5 55.5 64.6 3302
(Stats via DataMB)
Thanks to his large frame, the Norwegian can be a real midfield general. His height also renders him a natural threat in set pieces, although he didn’t score a single goal this season.
That being said, many would argue that the likes of Berge and Ederson aren’t the sort of midfielders that can restore Man Utd’s glory days, especially with Manchester City closing in on Elliot Anderson, and Tottenham launching an onslaught for Sandro Tonali.
Therefore, the consensus is that United’s midfield overhaul would remain incomplete without a marquee signing.
Michel is a football journalist based in Beirut who has been passionately following Man United for over 20 years. He is a Law graduate and a member of the Beirut Bar Association. In addition to writing for Utd Report, he is also the Head Writer for The Laziali has been a Featured Writer on other websites including Juve FC, and The Cult of Calcio, and Stretty News.
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