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Youri Tielemans Revelation Speaks Volumes for Chaos at Man Utd

The club’s summer transfer activity has been highlighted as a key factor in Michael Carrick losing his job.
Andrew Headspeath|
Youri Tielemans was far from United’s top target.
Youri Tielemans was far from United’s top target. | Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside/Getty Images

Michael Carrick may have gone, but there is still plenty of blame to go around. Manchester United’s transfer policy is under increased scrutiny, following an historically bad start to the season.

As of the November international break, the club—rated as England’s most valuable by Forbes—wallows in the Premier League’s relegation zone, with just one victory (against newly promoted Ipswich Town) all season.

After an unsustainably good run under Carrick in the second half of 2025–26, old ghosts have reappeared with a vengeance. Fitness and depth issues were rife across the roster going into the new campaign, but the United hierarchy failed to address the concerns over the added strain of returning to the Champions League.

Instead of levelling up across the board while the club was in a position of strength during the last transfer window, director of football Jason Wilcox and the decision makers focussed solely on augmenting the central midfield options—signing trio Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for a combined total of $190 million.

Only the latter has featured regularly so far in 2026–27. Baleba arrived carrying an injury and then suffered a new hamstring issue in the Roma win. Meanwhile, Santos, 22, has been used more as a depth option.

Top Target Anderson Wanted United Move

Elliot Anderson
Elliot Anderson ended up joining rivals City. | Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside/Getty Images

A report from The Athletic provides telling insight into how United ended up with their so-far underwhelming midfield trio.

It is claimed that a botched transfer strategy failed to deliver the targets the club really wanted and the players the Red Devils landed during the summer were “seventh or eighth on United’s list”.

Elliot Anderson is said to have been United’s number one target, followed by Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Alex Scott, Ederson and Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Anderson ended up moving from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City in a deal worth over £115 million ($150 million). Interestingly, however, The Times claim that Anderson actually wanted to move to the red half of Manchester, but United refused to match Forest’s valuation.

Bouaddi follow the same route to City, while Fernandes and Tonali also passed United by as they signed for Tottenham Hotspur instead.

MORE ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S ARRIVAL AT MAN UTD

• Man Utd Confirm Mauricio Pochettino As Club's New Head Coach

• The Story of Man Utd’s 10-Year Interest in Mauricio Pochettino

• Four USMNT Players Mauricio Pochettino Could Target for Man Utd

• Michael Carrick at Man Utd: Why It All Went So Wrong, So Quickly

United Considered Goretzka, Brighton Delighted With Baleba Deal

Leon Goretzka
Leon Goretzka was considered before the Tielemans deal was finalized. | Marc Atkins/Aston Villa FC/Getty Images

The Athletic adds that, before landing on a £35 million deal for Tielemans, the Red Devils even considered signing Leon Goretzka on a free transfer. In a twist of fate, Goretzka—whose wages were deemed too high—signed for Aston Villa and scored in the 4–4 draw at Old Trafford this month.

Meanwhile, The Times adds that Brighton were “happy to take” £70 million for Baleba considering that the Cameroonian star’s form had declined in the past year and he was carrying an injury.

Finally, “senior figures” at United have also accepted that forking out £50 million for Santos—who has featured in just 556 minutes so far this season—was an “overpayment.”

Summer Window Disasterclass

  • Anderson wanted Old Trafford move, but United unwilling to pay up
  • Goretzka considered before Tielemans, as first-choice targets remain out of reach
  • Brighton “happy” to receive $100 million for injured Baleba
  • United figures admit “overpaying” for Santos
  • United ignore key gaps at left back and striker

Carrick Let Down

Carrick was the fall guy for United’s dire start to the season, with Mauricio Pochettino confirmed as his successor at Old Trafford, believed to be on a two-and-a-half-year contract. However, there are reports that many within the club feel sympathy for the outgoing club legend.

The i Paper claims senior figures were left “baffled” by United’s transfer approach—in particular the decisions not to strengthen at left back or center forward.

Despite links to Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall and Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde over the summer, no new full back was signed, with the club gambling on the fitness of the injury-plagued Luke Shaw who is now into his 30s.

Meanwhile, the shin injury to striker Benjamin Šesko has further highlighted the need for another No. 9 in the first team, with Bryan Mbeumo forced to play out of position centrally of late. Leeds’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin has since been rumored as an emergency option for the January window.

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Andrew Headspeath
ANDREW HEADSPEATH

Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, the weather, culture and soccer lured him to Spain over a decade ago where he lives with his wife, son and two untrainable dogs. A player of unspeakably limited talents and only one fully functional knee, he has more than a decade's experience in a wide variety of editorial roles within sports media, from match reporting to in-depth feature writing and interviews. He specializes in soccer history and culture, as well as—of course—La Liga.

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