Have Man Utd lost the midfield transfer window battle?

Whether Michael Carrick is a success at Manchester United will depend a lot on whether the club get their transfer activity right.

Their approach over the past year has been more sensible than that of the past. Younger players and long-term planning have replaced the scattergun recruitment that has defined much of the past decade.

But if United end the summer having missed out on Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and another elite midfield target such as Bruno Guimaraes or Mateus Fernandes, only to settle for Andrey Santos and Man Utd’s Youri Tielemans, supporters would have every reason to be concerned.

That is not because Santos and Tielemans lack quality. Rather, it is because they do not appear to offer the same transformational impact.

Tonali has developed into one of Europe’s most complete midfielders at Newcastle. Guimaraes, meanwhile, has been one of the Premier League’s top midfielders for the past few seasons. Anderson and Fernandes are younger and have more development to make but have the potential to become the best in the world in their position.

United are still expected to have a strong 2026/27 campaign with the squad they already have in place. NetBet, who offer online betting on a whole host of sports, have the Red Devils as the fourth favourites to lift the Premier League title next season.

But their midfield is the biggest concern. It has too often lacked authority, and even less so now Casemiro has departed. They need players who immediately improve the starting XI, not simply add competition.

That is where the concerns over Santos and Tielemans begin.

Santos clearly has enormous potential. He scores goals from midfield, covers ground well and fits the profile Carrick appears to favour. But there is still a great deal of uncertainty around him given he has failed to nail down a starting spot at Chelsea.

He may become a superb player but he is not yet a guaranteed difference-maker.

Tielemans is a more established option and would certainly improve United’s passing ability and ability to retain the ball. However, he does not really provide the defensive presence Carrick’s side are still lacking in the middle of the pitch.

For too long, United have found themselves signing second or third-choice targets after missing out on their primary options. Sometimes it has worked, but more often it has left them with a squad full of good players rather than elite ones.

The best clubs identify the midfielders capable of changing the trajectory of a team, just like Arsenal did with Declan Rice.

Time will tell, but it feels as though the sensible strategy United have adopted to avoid overpaying for players means they have come out as the losers in the battle for midfield signings this summer so far.