Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a move for an English midfielder in the January transfer window.
Manchester United’s midfield situation has been one of the biggest problems at the club since Nemanja Matic left. His partnership with Ander Herrera allowed Paul Pogba to shine, but there hasn’t been another engine room combination to impress as much.
Many thought Casemiro would be the answer to United’s midfield problems under Erik ten Hag, but the Brazilian couldn’t sustain his high standards after the first season. While he seems to have picked up some of his old form this year, it appears he will still leave the club at the end of the campaign.
The other defensive midfielder, Manuel Ugarte, also seems destined to leave Old Trafford, while Bruno Fernandes has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia for the last few windows.
Kobbie Mainoo appears to be hungry for a loan move in the January window, so Jason Wilcox could be forced into a complete midfield overhaul over the next few transfer windows. It could begin as early as January, if Mainoo does leave, but that decision doesn’t seem to have been made just yet.
United monitoring Bellingham
Jobe Bellingham left Sunderland for Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window, but has struggled for regular gametime since his move.
The England U21 international has played just 427 minutes in the Bundesliga, with another 304 in the Champions League.
His camp has already made their feelings clear to the Dortmund management, and a January move could be a real option.
As per Fichajes, United are “closely monitoring” the former Sunderland midfielder, while Paris FC have also expressed their interest in Bellingham.
Despite United’s interest, Dortmund have “no plans to sell” Bellingham, but a loan move hasn’t been ruled out.
United should look for experience
While Casemiro hasn’t always been brilliant in a United shirt, he does bring an unbelievable level of experience to the dressing room and has provided guidance to young players coming through, most recently Diego Leon.
If Fernandes is also looking for a summer exit, United will be losing two of their biggest leaders, with Harry Maguire’s future also uncertain.
Signing an experienced midfielder should be the focus in January. This would allow a more high-profile name to join in the summer window, without restricting the playing time for the next set of academy midfielders.
Sékou Koné will be the first to knock on the door, but Jacob Devaney and Tyler Fletcher have also impressed for the U21S this season. Christian Orozoco, who joins in the summer, is another exciting midfield prospect.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.