Serie A giants threatening to derail United’s bid to land six-time league-winning midfield maestro – report

Manchester United will need to sign more than one midfielder to compensate for the departures of both Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. The Brazilian is not expected to change his stance of leaving upon the expiration of his current deal, despite his teammates and the United faithful urging him to stay for one more season. As for the Uruguayan, INEOS are keen to offload him, considering the lack of impact he has had since signing as the five-time Champions League winner’s successor. Elliot Anderson remains the Red Devils’ top target, but as things stand, Manchester City seem to be in the driving seat. United need more than one midfielder Other targets include Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Hove Albion, Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, and Crystal Palace ace Adam Wharton. All these names are expected to cost a bomb, and INEOS are likely to be able to afford only one among the aforementioned names. The other midfield signing is expected to be a cost-effective one, with Shea Charles of Southampton earning a mention recently. Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich, a long-term target for United, is set to become a free agent in the summer and, despite his age, his situation makes him a brilliant alternative on the market. Leon Goretzka on a free makes a lot of sense Naturally, plenty of clubs are ready to compete with the 20-time English league champions to land the German, including Arsenal. However, reputed journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, while speaking to Sky Italia (as relayed by Teamtalk), has revealed that Juventus are ready to go toe-to-toe with United in order to win the race for the 31-year-old. However, a lot will depend on whether the Bianconeri can qualify for the Champions League next season. “There’s Goretzka, who will play against Real Madrid, even if he’ll initially be on the bench; he’s a Bayern Munich star whose contract is expiring. Juventus ready to win the race for Leon Goretzka “It’s clear that for Goretzka, used to playing in the Champions League, it will be important to see if Juventus reaches the Champions League, especially because in that case, Juventus will have a different financial strength, even when it comes to making an offer and convincing players.” Currently, the Turin-based side are fifth, one point behind Como in fourth. A tight race to the finish line is anticipated. United should not feel too dejected in case they fail to land Leon Goretzka. The six-time Bundesliga winner is past his prime, and he is unlikely to be able to handle the Premier League’s pace at his age. Feature image Stuart Franklin via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25