Manchester United are pushing ahead with another midfield move even after agreeing a £48m deal for Andrey Santos from Chelsea on Monday and waiting for Youri Tielemans to complete a medical before his switch from Aston Villa.
The latest activity underlines how much work still needs doing in midfield. United have added one player and are close to adding another, but the squad is still short of a natural number six after Casemiro left at the end of last season. That leaves Ruben Amorim with more bodies, but not necessarily the exact profile the team still needs.
Why Tielemans still fits the picture
Tielemans is being viewed more as a number eight than a number six, which is why the club are still understood to be looking at further options. The Belgium midfielder has long been one of the more reliable names in Premier League midfield discussion, and his experience stands out. He has 90 Belgium caps, has played 668 games, and is now set for another move after time with Leicester and Aston Villa.
There is also a clear history of big moments behind him. In 2021, Tielemans scored Leicester's winner in the FA Cup final. In May, he scored for Aston Villa in their Europa League final triumph over Freiburg. Those are the kind of decisive contributions that help explain why Manchester United remain interested, even if the fit is not perfect in every tactical sense.
United still need the right balance
That tactical question has already been raised. Paul Scholes said, “I can't see Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo playing together,” which reflects the concern that United may still lack a true holding midfielder. Casemiro's move from Real Madrid to United in 2022 gave the club a natural defensive presence, but his departure at the end of last season changed the shape of the depth chart.
Kobbie Mainoo is back in the conversation too. Michael Carrick restored him to the starting line-up in January following Ruben Amorim's sacking, and that only adds to the sense that United are still searching for the right midfield balance rather than simply adding talent for the sake of it.
Nicky Butt offered a more positive view of the move, saying, “Well done to the recruitment team because £35m for him is a phenomenal signing,” while also stressing the need for more than just a strong starting XI. “They needed to get a rocket on. If we want to compete in all four competitions we have to build a squad, not just a starting 11,” he said.
That is the key takeaway from United's midfield business. The club are adding quality, but they are also acknowledging that more is needed. With Andrey Santos in, Tielemans on the way through medical checks, and further midfield targets still under consideration, Manchester United are trying to build depth without losing sight of the one role that remains hardest to fill.
