Man Utd Build Lengthy Midfield Shortlist to Help Ruben Amorim—Report

Manchester United’s squad rebuild remains a work in progress.

(L-R) Angelo Stiller, João Gomes, Conor Gallagher / Lars Baron/Ben Roberts/Danehouse/Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Manchester United are reported to be keeping tabs on seven midfielders ahead of next summer, when at least one “top level” option will ideally be signed.

Midfield has been an area requiring improvement for United this season, unable to control games as they would like. Ruben Amorim has favoured a two-man pairing of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes. The former is enjoying resurgent spell, but not a long-term solution. The latter is better suited to a more attacking role, while Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte haven’t done enough to impress the boss.

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United’s interest in recruiting a midfield is no secret. The club was heavily linked with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba last summer until being put off by a nine-figure valuation. Speculation about Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace has also persisted for several months.

ESPN writes that both players indeed remain of interest and are being “assessed” by the recruitment department, alongside more recent target Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest.

The shortlist swells to seven players in total. Early assessments have been carried out on Wolverhampton Wanderers duo João Gomes and André, with Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher also catching the eye.

None would likely come cheap, but United are said to be hopeful of having money to spend after potentially permanently offloading high earners Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. The ambition is also to qualify for Europe next season, bringing UEFA revenue back into the club.

Dipping into the market any sooner than summer 2026 doesn’t appear likely, with the trickier and more unstable January transfer window to be approach with utmost caution.

Elliot Anderson has made his England debut this season. / Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

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Man Utd Midfield Targets—Summer 2026

Player	Club	Contract	Market Value
Adam Wharton	Crystal Palace	2029	£52.6 million
Carlos Baleba	Brighton	2028 (+1)	£52.6 million
Elliot Anderson	Nottingham Forest	2029	£39.4 million
Angelo Stiller	Stuttgart	2028	£39.4 million
João Gomes	Wolves	2030 (+1)	£35 million
Conor Gallagher	Atlético Madrid	2029	£35 million
André	Wolves	2029	£24.5 million

*Market values per transfermarkt

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Wingback Depth Also Required

The same report notes that United are also on the lookout for another wingback. United have already one such player since the Portuguese came to power, recruiting Denmark international Patrick Dorgu from Lecce last January, but Amorim’s system potentially lives or dies by its wing backs. Getting greater strength in depth on the flanks is therefore vitally important.

It is not clear at this stage who exactly the club might be targeting to address the issue, although “enquiries” regarding the availability of a number of different players have been made.

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