Manchester United are targeting multiple midfield signings ahead of next summer.placeholder image
Manchester United are targeting multiple midfield signings ahead of next summer. | Getty Images
Manchester United are targeting a trophy-winning star who they hope can fire them to glory.
Manchester United are aiming to return to the Champions League after a two-year spell away from Europe’s premier club competition, with the early signs under head coach Michael Carrick looking extremely promising.
The turnaround since the sacking of Ruben Amorim has been stark – players appear to be more focused, are playing in their natural positions and pulling together for the team and for Carrick. The task is far from done, though, and a new problem will present itself in the summer.
The next summer transfer window will present the Red Devils with the opportunity to improve from a possible position of strength, which they should look to grasp with both hands. The midfield area is one which has been identified for some time as the next port of call to develop the side, with reports suggesting that United are looking to sign at least two top-quality midfielders in the summer.
Man United target £52m Senegal star
A fresh midfield target for Man United has emerged as per reports by Fichajes, who claim that the Red Devils are interested in Villarreal star Pape Gueye and are ‘ready to pay’ €60 million (£52m) for the Senegalese.
The Spanish publication suggest that the Red Devils view the 27-year-old as an ideal replacement for Casemiro and are considering a swoop, while Foot Mercato add that a ‘very tempting offer’ could be made by United for the La Liga star. The midfielder signed for Villarreal on a free transfer from Marseille in 2024 and sees his current deal run out in 2028.
Gueye is viewed as ‘one of the most prolific’ defensive midfielders in Spain and has elevated his game to new heights, arguably hitting his pinnacle when he scored a stunning extra-time winner in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations to send Senegal to glory over Morocco in January. Could he soon arrive to have the same impact at Old Trafford?
Gueye will hope to make a decisive impact if big move secured
Gueye has become a prominent figure for Senegal in recent times and has prior experience in the Champions League across his spells with Marseille and Villarreal, including seven appearances in the competition this season as the La Liga side were eliminated in the league phase. They remain on course, as it stands, to qualify again for next year.
While many of United’s top midfield targets – such as Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba – are towards the start of their careers and are expected to cost closer to £100m, Gueye would offer a more experienced head capable of leading by example in the midfield. He may not have prior Premier League experience, but he was briefly on the books at Watford in 2020 before negotiating his sale to Marseille after just 24 hours at the club due to contract issues.
Asked on the future of Gueye, Villarreal manager Marcelino said: “He is an important player. And his absence was cruelly felt during AFCON. His impact, his game, his qualities…
“Personally, I would be very surprised if he left during this transfer window. But it is a decision that concerns him and the club. It’s not up to the coach to decide, because he doesn’t make that kind of decision.”
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