Manchester United have a big task in the transfer market in 2026. The dealings in 2025 suggest there should be faith.
It is clearly going to be a tough task to replace Casemiro when the Manchester United midfielder leaves at the end of the season.
United have a poor track record of signing midfielders. Even going back to 2013, United pursued Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas, and ended up with Marouane Fellaini.
2026 is a huge test for Ineos as they enter their third summer transfer window. Signing a midfielder (or two) is the absolute top priority.
The club’s activity in 2025 offers reason to be very optimistic.
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Why United wanted a new striker
Manchester United entered the 2025 transfer window with one key target in mind. Solve the club’s lack of goals. The team scored only 44 goals last season.
The whole attack needed a rejig, but the absolutely vital piece of business was that Manchester United needed a new striker.
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Rasmus Hojlund took a big step back in 2024/25, he scored only four Premier League goals. Ruben Amorim decided he wanted a replacement, understandably.
Benjamin Sesko deal was the best of the bunch
Manchester United signed Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig for £66 million. After a slow start, the Slovenian has burst into life in 2026.
United’s move for Sesko deserves credit, because the striker market in 2026 was littered with potential pitfalls.
Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres and Nico Woltemade are all expensive buys who have failed to meet expectations for their respective clubs.
The only other striker performing fairly well is Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike.
Around Europe, strikers including Jonathan David, Dusan Vlahovic, Jonathan Burkardt were all also mentioned as options.
None of them have provided a compelling case to make United feel like they got the wrong man.
After finishing in 15th place, United were a little lucky that a title contender did not pursue Sesko seriously. He almost fell into our lap, with Newcastle the only competition.
United still deserve credit for getting the deal done.
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Right decisions in 2026: Incoming
Ineos navigated choppy waters to come out of the 2025 transfer window with an elite striker.
They also surrounded Sesko with Premier League proven quality with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, taking some of the pressure off him.
The way they attacked this from a recruitment perspective was perfect, showing focus on the right area and signing the right players in terms of volume and quality.
There are no guarantees that United will get it right in 2026 in midfield – but the recent precedent gives reason to be confident the recruitment team will make the right calls.
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