Manchester United have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain's Warren Zaire-Emery, as their hunt for a new central midfielder continues.
Manchester United's latest midfield situation
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Manchester United are reportedly looking to add another midfielder to their ranks before the end of the summer transfer window – having already signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.
Reports earlier in the window suggested that United would only sign three midfielders if Manuel Ugarte left the club, but his injury on World Cup duty is likely to see him miss most (if not all) of the 2026/27 season.
Santos – who made his United debut against Wrexham – moved to Old Trafford for £48 million (with another £2 million in potential add-ons), while Youri Tielemans was £35 million from Aston Villa. The Belgian midfielder had a release clause in his contract.
United have been linked with several midfielders for the third engine room signing. Alex Scott – who has refused to sign a new contract at AFC Bournemouth – Manu Kone and Adam Wharton have all been mentioned recently. Brighton's Carlos Baleba seems to still be an option, too.
Paris Saint-Germain's Warren Zaire-Emery is another to be linked with an Old Trafford switch this summer.
According to TeamTALK, intermediaries recently sounded out interest in Zaire-Emery; Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United all expressed an interest in signing the Frenchman.
However, TeamTalk also state that PSG have no interest in selling Zaire-Emery this summer. The midfielder will not push for a move away, either, leaving the chances of a deal slim to none.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Zaire-Emery would be a "dream" signing for Manchester United, but he is expected to have a long future at PSG.
United will have to pivot their interest to other central midfielders, perhaps reigniting their interest in Baleba, if he is to be available on a lower fee this summer.
While Zaire-Emery does not appear to be an option for Manchester United, there are still several top-class midfielders available on the transfer market.
If they can act quickly, they should be able to agree the deal for the third midfielder before they return from World Cup duty. However, not all of United's targets were at the World Cup.
Alex Scott trained with England in the stages before the competition, but will have already returned for AFC Bournemouth duty.
United must act quickly before the season begins and players become settled for the new season.