Manchester United’s January transfer targets appear to be widening again, with reports that the club have inquired about Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez and Atletico Madrid’s Pablo Barrios. According to transfer expert Matteo Moretto, there is interest in both players, but no negotiation has begun yet.
That matters because United have already spent £155 million on Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba in the summer transfer window, yet they are still being linked with another central midfielder. The picture suggests a club still searching for the right balance in the middle of the pitch, even after major investment.
Moretto: “There is no negotiation, just an enquiry”
Moretto said Manchester United, who “have a lot of things to sort out”, are looking for a midfielder with the characteristics of Barrios and Fermin. He added: “They’ve inquired about both of them, there’s no negotiation, just an enquiry.”
That is the key detail. The reports do not point to an advanced deal, but they do show United are actively checking the market for the right profile. In other words, this is not yet a transfer battle, but it is clearly more than idle speculation.
Why Fermin and Barrios fit the brief
Moretto also said it is “very unlikely that both will leave”, which is an important reality check for United. Fermin has been a key player in Barcelona’s consecutive La Liga title wins over the last two years, while Barrios is described as an indispensable part of Diego Simeone’s midfield at Atletico Madrid.
That combination tells you why United are interested. Both players are young, established at major clubs and trusted in high-pressure environments. Moretto said United are looking for those types of players, and that helps explain why these names have emerged now.
The timing is also notable. Earlier this month, Barrios scored the opener in Atletico’s 2-0 win over Manchester United in the Champions League, and Moretto said the club took the opportunity to have many meetings when they came to Madrid for that game. It is another sign that United’s recruitment work is being pushed forward while the season is still unfolding.
For now, the message is simple: United are still shopping for midfield quality, and Fermin Lopez and Pablo Barrios are on their radar. Whether either move becomes realistic is another question entirely, but the search itself says plenty about where the club believe they still need to improve.
