Manchester United's assistant coach Steve Holland (L) and Manchester United's English Interim head coach Michael Carrick (R) speak during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 17, 2026.placeholder image
Manchester United's assistant coach Steve Holland (L) and Manchester United's English Interim head coach Michael Carrick (R) speak during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on January 17, 2026. | AFP via Getty Images
Man United could be in for a busy summer and there is one area of the park that has become a priority.
One of Ruben Amorim's biggest issues in his time in charge was how porous the midfield was as Man United turned into more of a basketball team chasing from one end of the pitch to the other.
Bruno Fernandes would cut a frustrated figure, having to defend shots at one end, before being tasked with creating chances and scoring goals at the other. No wonder he is enjoying life under Michael Carrick so much having two players behind him and being able to focus on doing what he does best. With Casemiro leaving in the summer though, the United recruitment team will need to find someone else who can carry the water for Fernandes and allow him to pull the strings.
Man United make midfield a priority
According to transfer journalist Dean Jones on TEAMtalk, the Red Devils are making midfield a priority area having seen a host of names linked: “United, who, as we have consistently reported, are keen to add two central midfielders to their squad in 2026, have been heavily linked with a move for the Brazilian. However, there is a growing expectation they will hold out on signing a midfielder in this window.
“They have been linked with the likes of Wilfried Ndidi and Ruben Neves as alternates – and in recent days the situation of (Joao) Gomes is understood to have cropped up again. But United are expected to hold onto their cash for now and invest it at the end of this season instead.”
If Gomes is a target, now isn’t the time to sign. Wolves have next to no chance of staying up and picking the 24-year old up on a bargain fee could save money to spend elsewhere. There is also the discussion as to whether or not he is what United need.
United have a mix of midfielders, but Casemiro’s profile is a difficult one to replace in terms of his composure, positioning and ability to link the midfield and the attack. Not many players are as experienced as the 33-year old in European football.
Do Man United already have a gem in midfield?
Speaking ahead of United’s clash against Fulham to Sky Sports, Michael Carrick suggested that he already has a midfield lynchpin at his disposal.
"I like the way Kobbie takes the ball," Carrick told the One on One podcast. "I think there's a big part of being a footballer and being the top player is being able to cope with the environment. He's come in at such a young age and played some big games in the Euros for England and for Manchester United and playing a big part in those games. So just being able to cope, first off, is a huge thing and he's proved he can cope.
"He takes the ball, he drifts, he can play, he can play a little bit deeper at times, he can play a little bit higher up, depending on who he's playing with I think sometimes we can pigeonhole players in certain things quite quickly. It's not always the case and sometimes you say things and you see things in a player and you tweak a little bit. Bit like Patrick Dorgu playing a little bit higher and playing as a high winger and all of a sudden things go.
"Kobbie can play different roles within that, but definitely with Casemiro in the middle of the last couple of games we've had a really good pairing. They’ve been a big part of controlling the team. He's so young, Kobbie and he's had some real highs, he's had some disappointments, that's natural. I was similar myself when I was young when I came through. It's no different. It makes him better, it makes him stronger, it makes him more experienced and he's showing that at the moment.
"He's a joy to watch."
With Mainoo back in the fold and in form, it is a playmaker that United need to find to partner the 20-year old and to supply Fernandes, and that isn’t Gomes.
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