Man Utd chop ‘outstanding’ EPL duo off summer shortlist: “Too similar to Mainoo”

Manchester United have reportedly decided to end their pursuit of Premier League midfielders Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton.The Red Devils must make at least two new additions to the middle of the park in the summer. Michael Carrick has already been operating with limited personnel, and the club will part ways with Casemiro in June, with Manuel Ugarte potentially following suit.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYTherefore, bolstering the midfield ranks will be the top priority for Man Utd Director of Football Jason Wilcox come the summer.Why United could pull out of Sandro Tonali & Adam Wharton racesUnited have been linked with a plethora of potential candidates for the role since the start of the season. Elliot Anderson has been identified as the top target, but Nottingham Forest’s high valuation and the competition from Manchester City have complicated INEOS’ mission.Therefore, MUFC have been simultaneously following several other tracks, and this includes Tonali and Wharton.Nevertheless, football journalist Ben Jacobs claims United are unlikely to sign either one.Newcastle are reportedly requesting around £100 million to part ways with Tonali, a figure that United considers excessive based on the player’s capabilities.“MUFC are not keen on signing Tonali due to his high fee and wages, feeling he wouldn’t represent value for money,” said Jacobs via The United Stand.On the other hand, Man Utd feel that Wharton isn’t compatible with Kobbie Mainoo, as the Crystal Palace star shares too many similarities with his England teammate.“Also, Adam Wharton could be ruled out, with the club viewing him as too similar in profile to Kobbie Mainoo,” added the transfer market expert. 🚨 #mufc are not keen on signing Tonali due to his high fee and wages, feeling he wouldn’t represent value for money. Also, Adam Wharton could be ruled out, with the club viewing him as too similar in profile to Kobbie Mainoo. [@jacobsben] pic.twitter.com/wdEUP8wjLA — The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) April 9, 2026Are Man Utd right to overlook Tonali & Wharton?Tonali is regarded as one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League. He is highly appreciated for his never-say-die attitude and ability to contribute all over the pitch.The Italian international’s current market value could be overblown, but this arguably applies to almost every other EPL midfielder on Wilcox’s shortlist. So perhaps the solution for INEOS is to recruit players from other European leagues, like Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, or Atalanta’s Ederson.Regarding Wharton, the club may have a point. The 22-year-old Palace star has been hailed for his ‘outstanding’ attributes, but a midfield combination of him and Mainoo could be ‘too light’.After all, both Englishmen are keen to advance the play and contribute in the attacking phase, but neither is considered a ball-winner, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. Percentiles Duel% Poss won Prog carries Fwd passes Fwd pass% Key passes Prog passes Minutes Kobbie Mainoo 28.5 22.8 66.7 53.2 76.5 64.4 22.2 1305 Adam Wharton 77.4 62.0 26.4 69.6 30.4 88.5 91.2 2354 (Stats from DataMB)However, the stats above tell a different story, suggesting that Wharton is capable of fulfilling the defensive duties required of a No.6, including winning duels, while Mainoo can surge forward, acting like a proper No.8.