United must avoid signing this PL midfield general at all costs, he will be a worst signing than Ugarte – opinion

Manchester United face a season-defining transfer window this summer as the club attempts to finally fix its stalling engine room. The resurgence of Casemiro, a player categorised as finished by a certain Liverpudlian pundit, has demonstrated the foundation of strength a capable defensive midfielder can provide for the rest of the team. United’s form has been outstanding under interim coach Michael Carrick, who took charge of the side in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s dismissal at the start of January. No other Premier League side has picked up more points than the Red Devils since the Englishman’s appointment, with Casemiro central to this remarkable transformation. But the Brazilian turned 34 last month and is the most handsomely paid player at Old Trafford, with his wage packet set to increase even further should United return to the Champions League next season. As a result, INEOS have decided against triggering the one-year extension in his deal, despite his upturn in performance and growing calls from the fanbase to reconsider. Rebuilding the midfield This means an overhaul of the midfield unit is the priority this summer; the area of the pitch the club’s hierarchy have invested in the least since taking the helm in 2024. The only midfielder to arrive during this period has been Manuel Ugarte, signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £50.5 million after months of negotiations that same year. The 24-year-old Uruguayan has failed to adapt to the pace and physicality of Premier League football, despite his reputation as a ball-winning enforcer. The fact that he is even worse in possession only compounds the transfer as comfortably the worst in the INEOS era, though it should not have been a surprise given how adamant PSG boss Luis Enrique was that he should be sold. Ugarte may follow Casemiro through the exit door this summer if a suitable buyer can be found, which would leave Kobbie Mainoo as the sole senior option in midfield, as Bruno Fernandes has been restored to his rightful throne as the team’s No.10. In this scenario, three new recruits would be required, but at least two must arrive irrespective of Ugarte’s future. A host of candidates have been identified, with proven Premier League pedigree considered an essential attribute for at least one of the signings. Nottingham Forest dynamo Elliot Anderson is the first-choice target, while Carlos Baleba remains on the radar after an attempt was made to sign the Brighton starlet last year. Crystal Palace maestro Adam Wharton also features highly on the shortlist, with competition expected to be fierce for all three. Anderson combines the physicality and defensive prowess of Baleba with the playmaking of Wharton, however, which is why the 23-year-old Whitley Bay native is being chased by virtually every one of England’s elite, with Manchester City understood to be the frontrunners for his signature this summer. As such, United have identified other midfielders in the Premier League who offer the same ‘complete’ profile Anderson possesses, with this hunt leading them to the doorsteps of St James’ Park. In recent weeks, there have been increasing links with Newcastle’s dynamic duo Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, widely seen as one of the best midfield partnerships in England. The Magpies are enduring a disappointing season, having already departed each of their cup competitions, including an embarrassing 7-2 dismantling at the hands of Barcelona in the Champions League. They are stranded in 12th place in the league, as close to the relegation zone as they are to United in third. The prospect of qualifying for Europe’s elite competition next season is non-existent, which has put their rivals on red alert over a summer raid for their best players, including the midfield maestros. However, a move for either would prove a poor signing for United down the road, though for very different reasons. While the temptation will be strong to weaken a competitor while strengthening your own position of weakness, the Red Devils must look elsewhere. Learning from mistakes of the past Stylistically, there are few midfielders in Europe more well-suited to being Casemiro’s replacement than his compatriot with the Seleção, Guimaraes. The pair are set to join forces at the World Cup in June and United’s No.18 is a huge fan of the Newcastle powerhouse. Guimaraes is an outstanding operator, capable of playing as a defensive anchor, a deep-lying playmaker or a box-to-box midfielder with equal effectiveness. He can be creative on the ball and a menace without it, while offering a potent threat in the opposition box, as demonstrated by a return of nine goals and four assists in 23 league appearances. He is also the captain of Eddie Howe’s side, having taken to life on Tyneside in a way few South American stars do in the harsh weather of northern England. Newcastle’s record with and without their talismanic leader borders on the ridiculous, having joined from Ligue 1 side Lyon in January 2022. The Brazil international would be a fantastic signing for United if he were three years younger. His 29th birthday comes this November, meaning he is essentially one year younger than Casemiro was when the Real Madrid star was captured from the Spanish capital for £70m. And despite a superb debut campaign at Old Trafford, the five-time Champions League winner suffered an undeniable decline physically in his sophomore season as the brutal nature of English football – in conjunction with suicidal tactics by Erik ten Hag – left him exposed. Casemiro eventually won over Ruben Amorim, who replaced Ten Hag midway through the disastrous 2024/25 campaign, having first been sidelined by the Portuguese coach, with even Toby Collyer ahead of him in the pecking order. The 34-year-old was one of the first names on Amorim’s team sheet this season, though his limitations in terms of mobility still reared their ugly head. Carrick’s transition away from Amorim’s defunct 3-4-2-1 system into a more familiar 4-2-3-1 set-up, with Mainoo stationed next to him, helped mask these issues, enabling Casemiro to regain the fine form he displayed in his first season. But the Brazilian’s story – an ageing midfielder in a position where speed across the ground is as important as speed of thought – is a tale of caution United must heed when targeting his successor this summer. From this perspective, Guimaraes is not a risk worth taking when his projected fee – a similar range to the £70m forked out for Casemiro four years ago – and wages, worth at least £160,000 a week at St James’ Park, are factored in. The Newcastle maestro is a midfielder you sign if he is the missing piece of the puzzle, rather than the starting block of a jigsaw the club are still in the process of assembling. Paying big money for limited abilities Conversely, Tonali – a high-energy jack-of-all-trades midfielder who turns 26 in May – offers the type of profile INEOS prioritised last summer when they signed Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to jumpstart a misfiring attack. The Italian already possesses a wealth of experience, for both club and country, and has demonstrated the ability to compete at the highest level. There are obvious concerns after his long-term ban for gambling offences, though there is a sense he has moved past this issue – and is a better player for the experience. However, Tonali simply is not the type of midfielder a top club should look to pay an exorbitant fee for, as Newcastle will demand to let him leave Tyneside, with suggestions of a £100m+ fee in accordance with the ones Arsenal and Chelsea paid for Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo. He does not provide the complete profile of the former, with Rice able to dominate in every phase of the pitch, nor is he the lynchpin an engine room is built around like Caicedo. Statistically, the Newcastle No.8 ranks unfavourably in progression and attacking metrics in comparison to his peers. Anderson, for example, is leagues ahead of him in both, while retaining the same defensive prowess of his former teammate at St James’. Even former Red Devil James Garner, currently plying his trade for Everton, ranks higher. In a slightly reductive sense, Tonali would be the all-action ball winner that United believed they were signing in Ugarte, though the Italian is far better than the Uruguayan in practically every way – but this is hardly a source of praise. The former AC Milan star is also not an ideal partner to Mainoo, which should be a key consideration this summer. A holding midfielder is essential, lending further support to Guimaraes as an option, given the Brazilian would be excellent next to the 20-year-old Carrington graduate. If a deep-lying playmaker in the mould of Carrick himself was targeted alongside Tonali, such as Wharton, the argument is stronger. But the budget will be drained in order to bring Newcastle to the negotiating table, leaving little to do the same with Crystal Palace. The idea of Tonali, a player whose best work comes without the ball at his feet, becoming INEOS’ most expensive signing is not one worth exploring, unless the war chest this summer is magically inflated beyond current projections. Final Thoughts In many ways, the approach United’s hierarchy take in navigating the midfield conundrum will define their tenure at the Theatre of Dreams. To spend big and miss will set the club back enormously, given the best existing option will not be available for selection next season. The focus on signing a Premier League-proven player, with the exorbitant tax this requirement entails, is one which must be carefully reconsidered, as a world-class recruit from Spain, such as Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios or one of Real Madrid’s French juggernauts, Aurelien Tchouameni or Eduardo Camavinga, may be available at a cheaper price. There is also a strong argument for targeting midfielders in Ligue 1, a treasure trove for English sides in recent years, as highlighted by Newcastle’s capture of Guimaraes from Lyon in the first place. The budget will stretch considerably further when shopping in France, enabling two for the price of one in comparison to the Premier League. If Guimaraes were three years younger, or Tonali was able to be captured at a price Newcastle will simply refuse to compromise on, then the case for either Tyneside warrior would grow. But, at present, neither the Brazilian nor the Italian will prove the type of astute signings United desperately need this summer. Featured image George Wood 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