Manchester United have identified a Bundesliga gem as their new midfield target, according to a report, which has also noted the competition that the Red Devils will face from the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle United and has revealed the transfer fee that INEOS needs to pay.
TEAMtalk has long reported Man Utd’s desire to sign a top-class midfielder in 2026. Sources have told us that Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson are three prominent names on Man Utd’s shortlist.
Our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, first reported Man Utd’s interest in Wharton back in October 2024. We further revealed on January 26, 2026, that Man Utd have now started to make a push for the Crystal Palace midfielder with a view to a summer move.
However, Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United are also keen on Wharton, with Arne Slot’s side in particular being aggressive in their pursuit of the England international midfielder.
An alternative to Wharton has now been named in a report in SportsBoom, and it is Freiburg and Switzerland international midfielder Johan Manzambi.
According to the report, Man Utd are among the clubs ‘eager to sign’ Manzambi, with Arsenal and Chelsea also having taken a shine to the 20-year-old midfielder.
Manzambi has been described in the report as ‘the ultimate box-to-box hybrid’, with scouts said to have been hugely impressed by the midfielder dubbed the ‘Modern-Day Gladiator’.
Man Utd are said to have shown ‘the strongest interest in Manzambi’, with the club’s co-owners, INEOS, eying a move for the Swiss star in the summer of 2026.
The report has noted that Man Utd view the Freiburg star as ‘a cheaper alternative’ to Wharton and Baleba.
Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli are also on the trail of Manzambi.
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How much Man Utd need to pay for Johan Manzambi
According to SportsBoom, Freiburg want between €50million and €55m (up to £48m, $65.6m) for Manzambi, which would mean that the price would ‘shatter the club’s transfer record’.
Freiburg’s most expensive departure is Kevin Schade, who cost Brentford €25m (£21.7m, $30m).
No other media outlets are reporting Man Utd’s interest in Manzambi yet, so one needs to wait for other sources to back this claim before reading too much into it.
However, it would be remiss to suggest that Man Utd are not aware of the Switzerland international midfielder.
Manzambi is still only 20, but he has already established himself as an important player for Freiburg.
The young midfielder has made 15 starts and one substitute appearance in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the process.
The 20-year-old has also scored one goal in five starts and two substitute appearances in the Europa League for Freiburg.
In November 2025, Bundesliga’s official website compared Manzambi to former Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack and included him among ‘the rare breed of genuine all-round midfielders’.
Manzambi himself as been quoted as saying: “Fundamentally, I’m a box-to-box midfielder, but I think I can play on the wing and as a playmaker.”
Switzerland manager Murat Yakin has noted about the youngster: “He has this incredible hunger to score goals that I have rarely seen. It’s a real pleasure to watch him play.”
Freiburg teammate Vincenzo Grifo has said: “He has the quality to be an incredibly good player, and he has proved that already.
“He should keep on being as creative and lively as he is now. He knows how to beat opponents too – not everyone can do that.”
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Latest Man Utd transfer news: Shock Tottenham interest, Everton raid
Meanwhile, our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has reported that a Man Utd forward is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Another of our transfer correspondents, Dean Jones, has named the Everton star that Man Utd are planning a blockbuster move for.
And finally, Man Utd are said to be confident of signing a top young midfielder in the summer of 2026.