United plotting surprise move for £25m star, Guardiola thinks he’s “unbelievable player” – report

Manchester United are seemingly regretting putting all their eggs in the Carlos Baleba basket over the summer. Baleba emerged as United’s dream midfield target, but Brighton & Hove Albion’s £100m valuation put their pursuit on the backburner. Now, Ruben Amorim is having to deal with a paper thin midfield.  Baleba, meanwhile, is in poor form, forcing United to explore alternative midfield targets. Manchester United want to sign midfielder in 2026 It has been widely reported that United are eager to strengthen their midfield in 2026. The Red Devils have been credited with interest in Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher.  According to journalist Graeme Bailey, United are “scouring the transfer market for central midfielders” and Bournemouth youngster Alex Scott is the latest name on their radar.   United monitoring Alex Scott The Cherries signed Scott from Bristol City in a £25 million deal in 2023. The move has proven to be an incredible piece of business as the 22-year-old has become a mainstay in Andoni Iraola’s side. He has so far started 10 Premier League games this season, attracting the attention of Thomas Tuchel, who has called him up for the upcoming England fixtures. It is understood United have been watching Scott closely and he has “impressed the recruitment staff at Carrington.” The Mancunians have been following his development since his time at Bristol, and now he is “maturing into a dominant player.” Amorim wants to sign an athletic midfielder, and Scott reportedly “fits the ball” as he is known for his ability to cover ground and recover the ball. In possession, he excels at carrying the ball forward. The Englishman also earned plaudits from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in 2023. “He is an unbelievable player, unbelievable,” said Guardiola (via Sky Sports) despite Bristol’s 3-0 defeat in the FA Cup. Featured image Dan Mullan 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 Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!