United prepare €40m hijack for Bundesliga sensation hailed as the “next Michael Ballack” – report

Manchester United have entered the race for German sensation Rocco Reitz after submitting a “formal offer” for the 23-year-old enforcer, according to a new report. Midfield Rebuild The Red Devils are searching for two new midfielders this summer as part of a comprehensive overhaul of the team’s engine room. Casemiro will depart at the end of the season as his contract expires, despite the Brazilian behemoth’s upturn in form, while Manuel Ugarte is also facing an uncertain future. The 24-year-old Uruguayan has failed to adapt to English football since his £50.5 million switch from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, and is strongly linked with a move to Galatasaray. This would leave Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes as the only two senior midfielders at Old Trafford, with the club captain having been redeployed as a No. 10 since Michael Carrick took the reins as caretaker in the wake of Ruben Amorim’s dismissal. United have identified Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton as their primary targets to upgrade the midfield, while Sandro Tonali has emerged as another frontrunner this week. However, all four players are expected to cost up to £100 million as the Premier League tax rears its ugly head once again. This means United will almost certainly have to look for a cheaper alternative for the second recruit, as the price for two of their first-choice targets will prove too much for the summer war chest to handle. A number of midfielders in Europe, with prices on the continent more reasonable, have been on the club’s radar over the past year – including Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand, Atalanta dynamo Ederson and VfB Stuttgart and Germany conductor, Angelo Stiller. However, it is a different Bundesliga midfielder the Red Devils are now accelerating plans to sign after Fichajes revealed a move for Reitz, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s all-action midfielder, is in the works. The next Michael Ballack The Spanish outlet reports United are “prepared to submit an offer close to €40 million” for the Germany U-21 international, who has quietly established himself as one of the most underrated stars in the Bundesliga. Reitz is a defensive midfielder who is still capable of contributing in the final third, as shown by his six goals and three assists in his debut season for Mönchengladbach. This well-rounded skillset, as skilful with the ball as he is tenacious without it, has even drawn comparisons to one of the best German midfielders of all time. “Reitz plays with an effortlessness that betrays a masterful understanding of the game. He’s athletic, a fine passer and comfortable with the ball at his feet, all teasing future midfield great potential. Germany might not have seen one quite like him since the days of the legendary Michael Ballack.” United’s hierarchy are understood to have confidence Reitz would “adapt quickly” to the rigours of Premier League football thanks to his “intensity and physical prowess”. However, there is fierce competition from Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, with Bild reporting the Red Bull side are in “advanced” negotiations for the 23-year-old enforcer. This would explain why United have launched a last-minute raid to convince the Mönchengladbach maestro his future lies away from Germany. 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 Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.