It will be intriguing to see where Manchester United end up in the Premier League next season now that Michael Carrick has the chance to have an entire pre-season with his squad.
The English coach also has a summer transfer window to bolster his options for the first time, and has already brought in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.
Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos
Casemiro's departure on a free transfer after his contract at Old Trafford expired at the start of the month meant that the Red Devils had a hole to fill in the middle of the park.
Whilst a deal for Atalanta star Ederson fell through, United moved swiftly to add Tielemans and Santos to their ranks ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Why Man United need to sign another midfielder
Carrick still need to add another player to his midfield mix, however, because the Red Devils are lacking a defensive powerhouse in the number six role now that Casemiro has left the club.
The Brazil international averaged 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game and won 5.6 duels per match in the Premier League for United last term, and neither Santos nor Tielemans matched those numbers.
25/26 PL Santos Tielemans
Appearances 25 27
Tackles per game 1.4 2.3
Interceptions per game 0.7 0.7
Dribbled past per game 0.5x 0.9x
Duels won per game 2.8 5.2
Ground duel success rate 68% 61%
Aerial duel success rate 45% 56%
These statistics suggest that the club have yet to replace the experienced former Real Madrid star with a like-for-like replacement in the defensive midfield role.
Kobbie Mainoo, who averaged 2.0 tackles and interceptions per game and lost 51% of his duels in the league last term, also does not offer top-quality defensive work off the ball in a central midfield role.
Casemiro-Man-Utd-announcement
United, therefore, still need to find a signing who can come in to be the destroyer for Carrick in the middle of the park, because Santos and Tielemans do not seem to be quite at the level that Casemiro was off the ball.
How Man Utd can upgrade on Youri Tielemans
Supporters should be pleased, now, that the club are looking at a move for a player who would offer far more to the team out of possession than their new signings so far.
The National News reports that Manchester United are eyeing up a move to sign Real Madrid defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer transfer window.
It claims that the France international would be open to the idea of a switch to Old Trafford if the Spanish giants decide that they want to cash in on him so that they can pursue Manchester City star Rodri.
The report adds, though, that the transfer fee and wages needed, although unspecified, would be hurdles that United would need to clear before being able to bring him to Manchester.
aurelien-tchouameni-france
Tchouameni was once described as "the best defensive midfielder in the world" by former teammate Chema Andres, and that is the exact calibre of player needed at United to replace Casemiro.
Whilst Tielemans has arrived at Old Trafford as a proven Premier League performer from Aston Villa, the Real Madrid star would walk through the door to immediately be a far superior option in midfield.
25/26 season Tchouameni (LaLiga) Tielemans (Premier League)
Appearances 33 25
Tackles + interceptions per game 3.5 3.0
Dribbled past per game 0.5x 0.9x
Clearances per game 1.7 0.8
Aerial duels won per game 2.2 0.9
Ground duel success rate 63% 61%
Aerial duel success rate 76% 56%
Possession lost per game 6.2 10.2
Tchouameni's performances in LaLiga for Real last season suggest that he would offer far more to United than Tielemans with his work off the ball, as he wins possession back more frequently whilst being dribbled past less often.
The French star followed that up by averaging a staggering 5.8 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst winning 72% of his ground duels and 88% of his aerial duels, at the World Cup for his country this summer.
Meanwhile, Tielemans won 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game for Belgium at the World Cup, and won 56% of his ground duels and 67% of his aerial battles across five appearances.
Their respective statistics at both club and international level show that Tchouameni would be a significantly more effective defensive midfielder for Carrick in the Premier League, as he wins more duels, makes more defensive interventions, and is more dominant.
Tchouameni-France-World-Cup
Signing the Real colossus could, therefore, improve United's defensive structure and ensure that their attacking players have the right platform to go and attack teams next season.
Tielemans, Santos, and Mainoo, at the moment, do not seem to have enough strength or defensive nous between them to effectively cover the defence, which is why Carrick should be pushing for the club to get this deal done in the coming weeks.
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