One “excellent” Manchester United transfer target has had his price revealed, as Jason Wilcox looks to strengthen Rúben Amorim’s midfield.
Manchester United’s midfield has been a problem area for the club since the days of Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba, with a poor balance in the middle of the park constantly leaving the team at a disadvantage.
When Casemiro joined the club to partner Christian Eriksen, many thought these problems would be over, but even the five-time Champions League winner has struggled at Old Trafford.
Mason Mount was signed by Erik ten Hag due to his running in midfield, but his struggle with injuries meant the Dutchman could never get the best out of the former Chelsea player.
Next season, Rúben Amorim looks set to play Bruno Fernandes alongside Casemiro in midfield, with Manuel Ugarte waiting in the wings if an opportunity arises.
Despite this, Jason Wilcox appears to be on the search for another midfielder, perhaps another defensive-minded player who can cover more ground than the ageing Casemiro.
Juventus name price for Luiz
Despite being previously linked with a loan move, United could sign Juventus’ Douglas Luiz on a permanent deal, after the Italian named the price it would take to sign the Brazilian.
Corriere dello Sport have reported that it would take £34 million to sign the former Aston Villa midfielder this summer, due to his poor form in a Juventus shirt this season.
Luiz impressed many in the Premier League, especially in his last season, as he netted 10 goals and 10 assists in his 53 appearances in all competitions for Villa.
Last season, the midfielder played just 877 minutes in 27 matches for La Vecchia Signora, and all indications suggest he will leave the club this summer.
The Brazilian, who was described as an “excellent all-round central midfielder” by Transfermarkt, would “gladly return” to English football after spending time at Manchester City and Villa.
Mainoo set for position change next season
With United looking for another defensive midfield signing, Kobbie Mainoo’s future may lie in more advanced areas, despite his impressive performances in the pivot in previous years.
Due to his injury when Amorim joined the club, Mainoo never had a set position last season under the Portuguese manager, playing across midfield and the frontline.
The academy graduate even played as a centre forward last season, likely because of the poor form of Rasmus Hojlund and the hamstring injury to Joshua Zirkzee.
With competition from Matheus Cunha and potentially Bryan Mbeumo, Mainoo could struggle for gametime next season if he doesn’t start the season well.
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 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.