From a collapsed medical to a Moroccan prodigy, Michael Carrick’s summer at Old Trafford has produced more twists than a Netflix drama, with Manchester United transfer news dominating headlines all July.
Michael Carrick’s first transfer window as permanent manager of Manchester United was always going to be scrutinised under a magnifying glass. Manchester United transfer news has dominated the back pages since June, and with good reason. This has been a summer of genuine intrigue. A collapsed deal at the eleventh hour.
Two smart midfield signings confirmed. A growing list of targets suggests INEOS have a clearer idea of direction than many gave them credit for. It hasn’t been flawless. But it hasn’t been the catastrophe some early coverage has made it out to be either.
What’s gone right so far?
Start with Youri Tielemans. The move deserves far more credit than it is getting. United triggered the £35 million release clause in the Belgian’s Aston Villa contract. The speed with which they moved, accelerating talks after Belgium were knocked out of the World Cup by Spain, showed a decisiveness that hasn’t always characterised Old Trafford’s summer business. At 29, with 244 Premier League appearances to his name, Tielemans is not a wonder-kid buy.
He is a triumph of common sense. He won the FA Cup with Leicester, opened the scoring in Aston Villa’s Europa League final victory against Freiburg last season, and captained Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. The frustration for some United fans is that he could have arrived as a free agent three years ago. The player available now is better. He boasts a rare robustness, having played at least 35 club games in each of the last 13 seasons. File that one under no-brainer.
Andrey Santos is the other confirmed signing. This one is riskier alongside genuine excitement. The 22-year-old Brazilian featured 43 times for Chelsea in 2025/26, becoming their first permanent signing under Michael Carrick after a £50m deal. It was structured as a £48m guaranteed fee plus £2m in add-ons, with Chelsea retaining a 10 per cent sell-on clause.
His Premier League numbers last season were modest in raw terms. One goal in 1,255 minutes in the top flight with an average FotMob rating of 6.73. Context matters. Santos battled for minutes in a Chelsea side not in Europe, behind an established hierarchy, with Moises Caicedo’s contract extension until 2033 blocking his path. During those 43 appearances, he recorded the highest pass-completion rate and the most progressive passes per 90 minutes of any midfielder under 22 in the Premier League. At Old Trafford, with a manager who built his reputation on midfield craft, Santos gets his first real stage.
Where things have gone wrong?
The Ederson situation is damaging. It is not just because United lost a player they wanted. United had agreed the structure of a £38m deal with Atalanta and personal terms with Ederson in June, intending to complete a medical and finalise everything in early July. Atalanta director of sport Cristiano Giuntoli admitted the club were stunned after the move fell through. The Italian club insist their player is fully fit.
United’s position is that discussions have completely collapsed with no plans to revisit the transfer this summer. The optics are bad. You agreed on a fee, the player turned down Atletico Madrid for you, and then you walked away citing a knee concern that Atalanta flatly reject. Whether United made the right call medically, only time will tell. The perception of indecision lingers.
Losing Mateus Fernandes to Spurs hurts too. Fernandes finished the 2025/26 season with five goals and five assists in 39 West Ham appearances. He was very much on United’s list after missing out on Elliot Anderson, who joined Manchester City for £116m. Tottenham moved more quickly and paid more. Sandro Tonali joined Spurs too, for a reported £100m. He was a player United had been monitoring without ever truly committing to. That is the difficult truth here. United watched, lingered, and got beaten to the punch. Twice.
The exciting business still to come?
Manu Koné from Roma is the next name to watch closely. The 25-year-old made 37 appearances for Roma last season across all competitions, scoring two goals and picking up three assists. His influence runs far deeper than those numbers suggest. He completed 1,239 from 1,370 passes at 90% accuracy and averaged 1.83 tackles per 90 minutes in Serie A. Roma are willing to sell at around £47m this summer, with Gasperini openly acknowledging the club must balance the books.
United have already made concrete contact with his entourage, according to Fabrizio Romano. The World Cup gave Koné an even bigger stage. He stepped in for the injured Tchouameni and delivered consistently for France. Competition from Liverpool and Arsenal exists. United look best placed right now.
Then there is Ayyoub Bouaddi as Sky Sports reports. The 18-year-old Lille midfielder chose Morocco over France in May 2026 and promptly lit up the World Cup. Aged 18 years and 280 days, he became the second-youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup quarter-final, behind only Pelé. In Morocco’s opening draw with Brazil, he recorded 60 accurate passes from 66 attempts, won the second-most duels, made four tackles and six recoveries.
Lille extended his contract in December 2025 to June 2029. They are open to selling him this summer, though they would prefer him to return on loan next season. His quarter-final display against France, where Koné outshone the Moroccan starlet, did raise questions about his readiness. The ceiling here is extraordinary. A loan-back structure could make this one of the steals of the summer if United move fast.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Alex Scott at Bournemouth remains of interest. The Cherries are adamant that he is not for sale and want to tie him to a new contract as they prepare for their first-ever season in European competition. That one looks difficult. United would be wise to redirect their focus.
Carrick’s rebuild isn’t finished. The midfield spine, after so much chaos, is starting to take genuine shape. The recruits arriving carry both pedigree and potential. Whether more quality can be added remains to be seen but United have stuck to their guns and have not got into ridiculous bidding wars and have landed players with experience in Tielemans and huge potential in Santos and there are still almost 6 weeks left in the window.