United feel award-winning academy wonderkid can step up to the plate amid transfer woes – report

Manchester United’s plans of revamping their engine room ahead of the new season have hit a brick wall. Initially, the Red Devils faced disappointment when they were priced out of moves for both of their primary targets, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. INEOS wasted little time before moving on to Mateus Fernandes, but West Ham’s valuation proved to be a difficult obstacle to overcome. Things became further complicated when Tottenham Hotspur entered the race, and currently, Spurs look the more likely to hijack the deal. United’s midfield transfer woes Alex Scott and Ayyoub Bouaddi are among the alternatives being monitored, and even if United bring in someone alongside Ederson, Michael Carrick was always in favour of bringing in three midfielders. Manuel Ugarte‘s injury has put paid to those hopes. With multiple areas of the squad in need of reinforcements, the 20-time English league champions are seriously considering promoting from within to plug that gap in the squad. According to The Manchester Evening News, Tyler Fletcher looks the likeliest candidate to be afforded the chance to step up and claim a regular first-team place. “If United do sign Fernandes, then they would have Kobbie Mainoo, Ederson and Fernandes as midfield options next season, while Mason Mount could also fill in in a deeper role, having done so twice towards the end of last season. Tyler Fletcher looks likely to step up “That might be considered enough, but there is little doubt head coach Michael Carrick and director of football Jason Wilcox will have to consider depth in midfield without Ugarte if the injury is as serious as he fears. “Academy options will come into the thinking there, with Tyler Fletcher looking like the most advanced. Fletcher, 19, has been with Scotland at the World Cup but their early exit means he should get opportunities in pre-season.” It was Jack Fletcher who had caught former head coach Ruben Amorim’s eye, but since Carrick’s arrival, Tyler Fletcher has leapfrogged his brother in the pecking order. So much so that the 19-year-old, who claimed United’s Reserve Player of the Year award, ended up making two cameo appearances under the new head coach while also making Scotland’s World Cup squad. Tyler Fletcher will need to impress in pre-season, especially with Dan Gore, Jacob Devaney and Jim Thwaites among the midfield wonderkids also vying to catch Carrick’s eye. 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