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Manchester United have been in the market to bolster their midfield all summer, and Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni has emerged as the top target.
Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have already arrived for a combined £83m, but Michael Carrick is understood to still be pushing for at least one more arrival following the departure of Casemiro at the end of his contract, and Manuel Ugarte's serious knee injury, which he suffered at the World Cup.
But while midfield has been a major priority, Tchouameni's move to Old Trafford remains at a standstill, with it still being unclear whether the player wants the move, or if Real Madrid would even be open to a sale.
Madrid's Rodri Move Stalling Man Utd Business
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Part of the reason for the move not progressing is that Real Madrid are now eyeing a move for Man City star Rodri. Should that move progress, with the midfielder keen to make the switch back to his homeland, then they are likely to need to make a sale.
Tchouameni is the obvious option, with such strong interest, but he isn't the only one, and it's possible that he could stay even if Rodri arrives.
With so much uncertainty around the situation, Man Utd simply cannot afford to wait around and see if a deal could happen. They need to make a final decision to ensure their new-look midfield is in place when the season starts.
Players like Carlos Baleba remain active options for the midfield, and United could easily switch their priority to that to make sure. But that doesn't mean that contact with Real Madrid needs to stop.
Midfield isn't the only position that Man Utd want to strengthen in this window, with left-back and the attack also in need of reinforcements before the window closes. Real Madrid are likely to make more sales before the deadline too, and one star in particular should be at the top of Man Utd's radar.
Man Utd Must Go All-Out for Endrick
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Reports have emerged that Real Madrid could be willing to sell Brazilian forward Endrick, following the imminent arrival of Yan Diomande and new striker Carlos Espi.
Endrick, who has been described as a 'game-changer', spent the second half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Lyon and registered eight goals and eight assists in 21 appearances for the French side, playing as both a number nine and on the right wing.
With Man Utd keen to add to their attack to find cover and competition for Benjamin Sesko, as well as question marks over Marcus Rashford's future, this is the perfect opportunity to do just that and bring in a top talent who is ready to explode.
Tchouameni is a top footballer and would be perfect for the midfield, but a deal isn't in their control at this stage. Should Man Utd complete a deal for Baleba and then sign Endrick on top of that, it would arguably make the squad even stronger.