A look at where Manchester United stand in the summer transfer window - and the players they could sign and sell.
Manchester United’s transfer window has already taken a number of twists and turns. Few predicted that their midfield rebuild would start with the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans – indeed, it semes to have come as something of a surprise to many of the people making the transfer decisions in the first place. There’s still plenty of room for further surprises as the summer wears on.
Santos and Tielemans will hopefully help to fill the void left by the departure of Casemiro and the serious injury suffered by Manuel Ugarte, but another midfield signing is on the cards, while there is potential for deals to be struck at left-back and further forward, while the club are still working hard to sell a handful of unwanted players.
Given that the club’s primary targets for the midfield roles had initially been Mateus Fernandes and Éderson, there’s clearly room for things to change – but here’s where everything stands at the moment as Manchester United’s transfer business unfolds.
Could Manchester United sign Alex Scott or Manu Koné?
Alex Scott is also a target for Chelsea and Arsenalplaceholder image
Alex Scott is also a target for Chelsea and Arsenal | Getty Images
Manchester United were keen to sign three new midfielders before the start of the transfer window, and that is still the plan – but the club are keen to avoid being suckered into overpaying for players, a policy which cost them the chance to land Mateus Fernandes and which could put Bournemouth’s Alex Scott out of reach.
Chelsea have already had a £64m bid for Scott, who is greatly admired by several key decision makers at Old Trafford, turned down flat. The Cherries value the midfielder, who recently turned down the offer of a new contract, at around £85m, and are likely to play hardball with the price tag. No final decision has been made, but the odds that United meet the asking price do not look high as it stands.
Another player under consideration, Roma and France midfielder Manu Koné, would be cheaper – he would likely cost between £40m and £50m – and his current club are happy to sell for financial reasons. Again, however, United have not committed to making a move and continue to weigh their options.
As it stands, there is no clarity as to which player the club might sign and no indication that a determination has been made. Other players under consideration include Ayyoub Bouaddi and Sander Berge – the former could prove to be too expensive, while the latter represents a more budget-friendly back-up plan. Interest in Carlos Baleba appears to have cooled for the time being, at least at an asking price which could reach £100m, after the Cameroonian midfielder endured a disappointing season in 2025/26.
Left-back and winger still on the radar
Lewis Hall is an ambitious target for the transfer windowplaceholder image
Lewis Hall is an ambitious target for the transfer window | Getty Images
Manchester United are also keen to sign a left-back to provide competition for Luke Shaw, with Patrick Dorgu earmarked for a more advanced role for the coming season – but the only known target, Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall, will be difficult to get hold of.
With Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali gone and the future of Bruno Guimarães up in the air amid interest from Arsenal, Newcastle are keen to avoid losing any more blue chip players. As a result, they are expected to reject any offers for Hall out of hand unless they are outrageous.
United will likely look elsewhere, but any reports circulating about alternative targets has thus far been entirely speculative. The club’s shortlist beyond Hall remains unknown.
A lesser priority is to sign another winger, although the club are unlikely to break the bank and will only focus on the attack once a new midfielder and ideally a left-sided defender have been signed. Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye is one player who could become a target as the window unfolds.
Could Marcus Rashford stay at Old Trafford?
Marcus Rashford looks increasingly likely to stay put this summerplaceholder image
Marcus Rashford looks increasingly likely to stay put this summer | Getty Images
A further complicating factor in Manchester United’s search for a new winger is the future of Marcus Rashford – should he end up staying with the club after Barcelona opted not to sign him permanently at the end of his recent loan deal, then Michael Carrick will likely head into the new season with the same players currently at his disposal up front.
A few Premier League teams have reached out about Rashford’s situation, including Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, but there have been no serious negotiations and the winger’s preference would be to move abroad. As it stands, the plan is to reintegrate Rashford into the first team and proceed as though he will be staying at Old Trafford, but his situation could change quickly.
Manchester United are also keen to sell Joshua Zirkzee, but no prospective buyers have stepped forward as yet. Serie A is his most likely destination, but his future is very much up in the air, and it’s probable that a deal will only be sorted out at the end of the transfer window – if at all.
The only other first-team players who are likely to leave as it stands are midfielder Toby Collyer and goalkeepers Altay Bayindir and Radek Vitek, with the latter perhaps more likely to leave on loan at the moment. Collyer, likewise, should find a temporary move away to get some experience under his belt, with Hull City an option for him. Recent speculation about Amad Diallo’s future appears to be well wide of the mark, and United would only let him leave if the offer was exceptional.