Manchester City are reportedly set to rival Manchester United for a Real Madrid midfielder, with the Spanish giants prepared to part ways with the player.
Ruben Amorim was very keen on bringing an athletic midfielder to Manchester United during the summer transfer window.
United explored an ambitious move for Carlos Baleba and the Cameroonian midfielder was very keen on a move to Old Trafford, but United ended their pursuit after Brighton and Hove Albion made it clear they weren’t willing to sell.
There were also links to the likes of Adam Wharton, Morten Hjulmand and Angelo Stiller, but all of those moves failed to develop into anything of substance.
While United didn’t sign a midfielder in the summer, it will certainly be a priority in the coming windows, whether that be in January or the summer.
United and City both keen on Camavinga
According to Fichajes, Manchester City are prepared to offer around £52 million to secure the signature of Eduardo Camavinga.
The report claims that Real Madrid are now willing to part ways with Camavinga and have made him available for transfer.
While United are said to hold an interest in the “brilliant” midfielder, Fichajes report that Real Madrid would prefer to do business with City due to the established relationship between the two clubs.
This isn’t the first time United have been credited with an interest in Camavinga. In the summer of 2021, United made a serious attempt to bring Camavinga to the club, but that move failed to develop despite very positive signs early on.
Which midfielder should United sign?
With Casemiro into the final year of his contract and Manuel Ugarte having struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, United’s next big-money signing will almost certainly be a midfielder.
During the summer window, Carlos Baleba seemed like the perfect choice for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United. The midfielder, however, has endured a difficult start to the season, with Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler having suggested United’s interest may have played a role in his downturn in form.
United have been long-term admirers of Atalanta’s Ederson, and he most certainly fits the ‘athletic’ midfielder profile United are looking for, but he doesn’t complement Bruno Fernandes on the ball.
If Fernandes is going to play in the midfield pivot, he needs a partner who can sit deep and allow him to push forward when necessary. Ederson likes getting forward and is therefore more of a no.8, rather than a No.6 United should sign to play next to Fernandes.
Adam Wharton could be the perfect option. He has an impressive passing range, is very progressive, reads the game well and forces a lot of turnovers. Palace would likely command a significant fee for the Englishman, but midfielders as complete as him don’t come around often.
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