Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Fabrizio Romano’s key update on some ‘mystery’ Champions League-featuring Premier League teams could be a telling sign of Ineos’ strategy for Manchester United in the summer.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s regime was focused on a major midfield rebuild in the summer transfer window and Michael Carrick saw the arrival of three new midfielders.
Andrey Santos arrived first from Chelsea before Youri Tielemans was signed from Aston Villa in July, while Carlos Baleba was landed from Brighton in August.
Manchester United were linked with several midfielders and Fabrizio Romano might have connected the Red Devils’ transfer interest in Como talent Martin Baturina.
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Michael Carrick, Manager of Manchester United, looks on before the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Manchester United and Sabah FC at Old Trafford on September 10, 2026 in Manchester, England.
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Fabrizio Romano’s hints around Champions League teams and Martin Baturina show why Man Utd were interested in him
Manchester United-linked Martin Baturina has been at Serie A side Como since 2025 after he was signed from Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb.
Baturina is under contract with the Italian club until 2030 and the Switzerland-born midfielder has netted 11 times and picked up six assists in 38 matches for Como.
United’s hunt for new midfielders in the summer included Ineos’ bid to land Brazil midfielder Ederson from Atalanta, only for the transfer to fall apart in the summer.
Fabrizio Romano claimed that two unnamed Premier League teams who were playing in the Champions League were interested in signing Baturina from Como.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “There were two proposals from the Premier League for Martin Baturina.
“One was already in the January transfer window. Leeds in January 2026 tried to sign Baturina, Como said, ‘No.’
“And at that point, Baturina was yet to be the Baturina we see now. Then, in this summer international window, after he had a second half of the season at [an] amazing level for Baturina, there was strong interest from two Premier League clubs.
Not Leeds United, when talking about different clubs and two of them playing Champions League football, so two clubs tried to sign Martin.
“The answer from Como was, ‘No chance, we are not selling for 50 to 60 [euros], we want more,’ so let’s see what’s going to happen there, but I think Baturina could be, for sure, one to watch in the future.”
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Manchester United's Belgian goalkeeper #01 Senne Lammens, Manchester United's Moroccan defender #03 Noussair Mazraoui, Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United's French defender #15 Leny Yoro, Manchester United's English midfielder #37 Kobbie Mainoo (front row from L to R) Manchester United's Brazilian striker #10 Matheus Cunha, Manchester United's Cameroonian midfielder #19 Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United's Belgian midfielder #18 Youri Tielemans, Manchester United's Argentinian defender #06 Lisandro Martinez, Manchester United's Danish defender #13 Patrick Dorgu and Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder #08 Bruno Fernandes poses for a team photo before the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester United and Sabah FK at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on September 10, 2026.
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Martin Baturina fits the profile for Man Utd during Ineos’ spending spree on midfielders in the summer
According to reports in the summer, Como fended off interest from Premier League clubs and other European sides, like Bayern Munich, when it came to Baturina.
Como reportedly valued Baturina at around €80m in the summer transfer market and the Italian club rejected bids of around €70m from Newcastle and Aston Villa.
The Red Devils were shopping in a window where several high-profile midfielders moved, including Mateus Fernandes, Bruno Guimaraes and Elliot Anderson.
It would only seem natural for United to show an early approach for a player like Baturina and then back out if the fee being demanded was too high.
Como were in the most advantageous position because of the length of the former Dinamo Zagreb player’s contract and the keen interest in him from multiple clubs.