Paul Scholes believes that Manchester United signing a deep midfielder this summer would incur a hidden improvement in Bruno Fernandes’ game.
Manchester United are pushing for a fifth signing of the summer as Rúben Amorim continues his overhaul of the squad at Old Trafford.
Their outlay in the 2025 transfer window has already reached £200 million, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Diego Leon costing around £130 million before the squad’s pre-season trip to the United States.
Following their Premier League Summer Series triumph, United agreed a deal with RB Leipzig for 22-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško, with a fee of £65 million plus £7.5 million in add-ons.
Šeško is set to be officially unveiled on Saturday afternoon, and the club are now eyeing a midfield addition, with a goalkeeper also under consideration if the right opportunity arises.
A midfield signing would impact Fernandes’ game
Club captain Bruno Fernandes is set to play a deeper role within Amorim’s structure this summer, with Cunha and Mbeumo both likely to play in the two No. 10 positions either side of the striker.
However, former United midfielder and club legend Paul Scholes believes that Fernandes is best suited to one of these two roles, although his erratic nature has meant he cannot be disciplined with his position on the pitch.
But, if United were to secure a deep-lying playmaker, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba thought to be their top choice in the position, this could mean Fernandes does not need to be as expansive on the field, so he could become “perfect” for the wide attacking role.
“You’d think in an ideal world, he’s perfect for one of these two 10s that [Amorim] plays,” Scholes said on The Overlap.
“But because he doesn’t have the discipline to play in that position, he’s everywhere. But it’s because he’s needed everywhere. Maybe if you sign a better midfield player, or [play] Kobbie Mainoo [there], who sits back into that midfield role and starts to dictate, then it might become a bit easier.
“He won’t have to be there and everywhere. Jamie [Carragher] is right, he just has to do everything, because I don’t think there’s enough quality around him.”
Baleba is ready to sign for United
United remain interested in Baleba and are keeping the story alive, having spoken directly with the player’s representatives and people close to him, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
While Baleba is open to a move to Old Trafford, the midfielder is not pushing for an exit and continues to act respectfully towards Brighton.
Romano confirms on his YouTube channel that Baleba has not closed the door on United and would be “ready” to say yes to the move, even without European football.
However, he is not forcing the issue and has not demanded to leave. The player is calm about the situation and understands that staying at Brighton for another season could still set him up for a move in 2026.
The key obstacle remains Brighton’s stance. The club have set a very high valuation for Baleba and are showing no willingness to accept a standard fee. As things stand, Brighton do not want to sell, making the deal extremely difficult for United. Still, the player’s openness keeps the door slightly ajar, should the two clubs find a way to reach an agreement before the window closes.
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