Key Points
- For the revamp of the midfield department at Manchester United, they have purchased the services of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35 million and Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million, which comes with an additional potential payment of £2 million.
- Manchester United is also on the verge of acquiring the services of Carlos Baleba who plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in the midfield for an estimated £70 million deal.
- For Michael Carrick’s first complete season as manager, his squad will start with an away game at Hull City on Saturday.
- Following that, there are other games against Ipswich Town (Old Trafford), Everton (away), and Manchester City (home) scheduled for 13th September.
- According to Michael Carrick, the team has prepared “mentally and physically” for Hull. He explained that teams that are promoted are tough competition due to the changes that have been made in their team.
- Mason Mount has sustained another injury, although Carrick reassured everyone that “there were no dramas” and the player would be back sooner rather than later.
FC United of Manchester (Manchester Mirror) August 21, 2026 — Manchester United have sought to address a long-running weakness in central midfield through the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, while a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba is reportedly nearing completion.
The Guardian reported that Tielemans joined from Aston Villa in a £35 million transfer, while Santos arrived from Chelsea in a deal worth £48 million with a further £2 million in add-ons. Baleba, 22, is reported to be the next target, with United expected to pay about £70 million if the transfer is completed.
The potential overhaul gives manager Michael Carrick more options in an area that has repeatedly been questioned at Old uk/local/trafford/">Trafford since his own playing career ended. Tielemans is presented as a No 8 option, while Santos and Baleba are described as No 6 midfielders. Kobbie Mainoo would also compete for a central role.
According to The Guardian, the combination could provide United with greater mobility, technical ability, physicality and experience in midfield. The report identifies Mason Mount as another potential option, although the 27-year-old has sustained an injury following United’s pre-season draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
Carrick addressed Mount’s condition by insisting that the setback was not a major concern. He said: “First of all Mason is a top player,” adding that the midfielder had been among United’s strongest performers in the opening pre-season matches. Carrick said Mount had “picked up a bit of a knock” and would return soon.
Why has United’s midfield been a concern for so long?
The Guardian traces United’s midfield recruitment concerns back over a generation. It notes that Michael Carrick, who joined from Tottenham Hotspur for £18 million in 2006, was the last major midfield signing to arrive before his peak years and then establish himself as a consistently high-level performer over several seasons.
Manchester United’s past midfield has included distinguished figures such as Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Paul Ince, Bryan Robson and Nobby Stiles. However, the report suggests the club have struggled to replicate that quality through recruitment in more recent years.
The article recalls Ed Woodward’s optimistic remarks after Bastian Schweinsteiger signed in 2015. Schweinsteiger arrived as a World Cup winner but made 35 appearances and scored two goals before leaving for Chicago Fire in 2017. His time at United included a period training with younger players under José Mourinho.
Paul Pogba returned to Old Trafford in 2016 for a then club-record £93.2 million, but The Guardian argued that he did not deliver consistent performances at the level expected. Casemiro, who joined from Real Madrid in 2022 after winning five Champions League titles, also arrived when he was 30. The report judged his first and final seasons as his strongest across four years with the club.
Other midfield recruits cited in the report include Fred, Morgan Schneiderlin, Ander Herrera, Sofyan Amrabat, Daley Blind and Manuel Ugarte. Mainoo is presented as an exception because he emerged from United’s academy rather than joining as an established external signing.
Mainoo scored the winning goal in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City and started England’s Euro final defeat against Spain that summer. The Guardian reported that the midfielder’s future at United was uncertain under former manager Ruben Amorim, before Carrick’s appointment in mid-January changed his position in the squad.
What challenges face Carrick in his first full season?
Carrick’s earlier spell in charge is viewed positively after he took over during the disruption following Amorim’s departure and guided United to third place last season. However, the circumstances of that run were different from the demands now facing the manager.
When Carrick took charge, United had already been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions and were not playing in Europe. He had 17 matches to manage as caretaker. The coming season will involve Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup commitments, providing a broader test of Carrick’s squad management and tactical approach.
United’s opening league schedule begins at Hull City’s MKM Stadium before a home match against Ipswich Town. Both opponents are newly promoted, but Carrick rejected the suggestion that United have an easy opening to the season.
Speaking about Hull, Carrick said promoted sides can change substantially over the summer, making them difficult to assess. He said:
“That is the beauty of the new season, for teams coming up there tend to be a few changes.”
He added that United had undertaken significant mental and physical preparation.
The fixture list then becomes more demanding. United are due to travel to Everton for their third league match before hosting Manchester City on 13 September. The early run provides an opportunity for United to establish themselves near the leading group, while the greater depth created through recruitment will bring greater scrutiny of Carrick’s results.
Could further signings give Carrick a complete squad?
Baleba’s prospective arrival would represent a third major midfield addition during the window and a significant investment in the centre of the pitch. United also remain interested in strengthening at left-back, with Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall and Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly among the players on their radar.
If Baleba and a left-back were signed before the 1 September deadline, United would have added four major recruits. That would provide Carrick with options across midfield and defence, although questions would remain over the centre-back department.
The central assessment is that a rebuilt midfield would leave Carrick with a stronger group than the one available to his predecessors. The first indication of how effectively those changes work will come at Hull, where United begin their competitive campaign.
What is the background to Manchester United’s midfield rebuild?
Manchester United have repeatedly changed their midfield personnel since Carrick’s 2006 arrival, but have struggled to build a stable unit around long-term signings. The club have recruited players with different profiles, including younger prospects, experienced international players and high-cost acquisitions, without consistently producing the balance associated with United’s strongest sides.
The current rebuild is notable because it targets several central midfield roles in one transfer window. Tielemans offers experience and progression from deeper areas, Santos provides a defensive midfield option, and Baleba would add further athleticism if a deal is completed. Mainoo’s continued involvement would also retain an academy-developed option in the competition for places.
How could this development affect Manchester United supporters?
For Manchester United supporters, the midfield changes could affect expectations around performances, selection decisions and results. A deeper group would allow Carrick to rotate players during a campaign involving domestic and European fixtures, while also giving him alternatives when injuries occur.
The increased competition could influence the roles of Mainoo and Mount, particularly if Baleba joins. It may also make midfield performances a central measure of whether United’s spending has improved the team’s control, defensive protection and ability to create chances.
Carrick’s squad would be judged across a fuller and more demanding schedule than last season. The opening matches against Hull City, Ipswich Town, Everton and Manchester City are likely to provide an early indication of how quickly the rebuilt midfield settles.
