No Mateus Fernandes: Manchester United's midfield alternatives

Fabrizio Tabone
Jul 1
4 min read

Manchester United have missed out on the opportunity to sign West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes this summer after Tottenham agreed on an £85 million-pound deal for the Portuguese midfielder.

United were linked with the midfielder for months, but West Ham were adamant that they wanted £85 million for Fernandes, yet United buckled down, and they refused to pay the fee. Tottenham joined the race, and while United made an offer that came to a total of £85 million, West Ham wanted the fee guaranteed, and as a result he has now opted for Spurs.

Michael Carrick's side had Fernandes as one of their priority signings of the summer, having already secured Ederson. United have already missed out on Elliot Anderson, who was their top target, with the English midfielder moving to rivals Manchester City for a whopping £116 million.

As a result, United will now need to take another look down their shortlist and assess their alternatives, with their options becoming more and more limited as the window goes on.

Here are a number of midfield alternatives that United could, and probably should, go for.

1) Alex Scott

The first name that comes to mind, and one that has been heavily linked over the past few weeks, is Alex Scott.

The Bournemouth midfielder is excellent on the ball and has become one of the Premier League's best midfielders in terms of driving the ball forward. He established himself as one of the star performers in a great Bournemouth side, operating as a box-to-box midfielder.

The Cherries are looking to tie him down to a new deal and are therefore looking to get a hefty fee for him. However, United should be resilient, and avoid being haggled for a transfer fee. Stick to the £50-60 million valuation, and avoid overpaying.

2) Sandro Tonali

Another player who United simply need to have on their list of targets is Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali.

With Fernandes off the table, the Italian needs to be one of the key midfielders on United's radar. Tonali is an established, Premier League-proven midfielder who is full of energy, capable of fulfilling multiple roles across the centre of midfield.

The primary issue is that Newcastle reportedly want £100 million for the 26-year-old, yet he may be one that United ultimately look to a pay a significant fee for.

Tonali is one of the best options on the market and would immediately take United up to another level. If the fee comes down to the £85 million-mark, then that would represent excellent value when considering that Fernandes went for the same fee.

3) Aurelien Tchouameni

United's priority for the summer has to be Aurelien Tchouameni.

It would be a huge statement for United to tempt the Frenchman away from Real Madrid to come to Old Trafford.

Real Madrid need to be open to a sale first and foremost, which essentially hinges on whether Jose Mourinho wants him at the club.

Tchouameni could end up costing around £80 million, which when considering the calibre of player that United are receiving, it could be a sensational move. He would be the natural successor to Casemiro at United.

4) Angelo Stiller

Angelo Stiller is a name that was linked to United last year, but links have seemingly died down since.

Jason Wilcox is said to be a big fan of the German, who has often been compared to Toni Kroos in his style of play. While he is similar to the veteran, he is also more dynamic and more of a willing runner on and off the ball.

The midfielder reportedly has a £35 million release clause in his contract at Stuttgart, and he could end up being a fantastic signing for United should they choose to proceed.

Given the price, he would probably represent one of the "other" options for midfield though, with United needing a marquee midfield signing.

5) Mamadou Sangare

Mamadou Sangare represents a quality, affordable alternative to Fernandes, with him being one of the standout performers in Ligue 1 last season.

The RC Lens midfielder is a similar midfielder to Fernandes, looking solid on and off the ball, offering plenty of energy, and looking like the perfect profile of midfielder that United are targeting this summer.

The 23-year-old has been touted as being available for just £33 million, which would be an absolute steal for the quality of player that United could be getting.

If United can get a deal for him over the line, then they should definitely look to get it done.

6) Carlos Baleba

United may well end up revisiting one of the key targets from the previous summer: Carlos Baleba.

The Brighton midfielder endured a very tough season, struggling to maintain consistency and very often looking underwhelming, with there being suggestions that his failed move to United could have disrupted his season.

He gradually got into the squad on a more regular basis as the season wore on, and while Brighton's price tag may have dropped slightly, United still admire the Cameroonian.

Stylistically, Baleba is a great fit for United's midfield to partner Kobbie Mainoo, with the 23-year-old Brighton midfielder capable of covering plenty of ground and solidifying and protecting the defence.

United will not be willing to spend more than £75 million for Baleba, particularly considering he suffered a downturn in form just for being linked with a move to Old Trafford. It remains a question if he would suffer a similar drop in form should his move to United materialise.

7) Manu Kone

An outside shout who has not been linked as much is AS Roma's Manu Kone.

The French midfielder is a combative midfielder who ranks among the highest in Europe for ball recoveries as well as progressive passing, with these two stats highlighting how many lung-busting runs he makes across the middle of the park.

Kone moves the ball quickly from the defensive third to the final third, progressing play in a way that would surely benefit Carrick's system.

He is a reliable midfielder who can balance defensive work with ball progression. While in an ideal world he would be the replacement for Manuel Ugarte, it seems that due to other options being out of United's reach, Kone could end up becoming a key target for United this summer.

Kone is valued at around £58 million, making a deal for him more than doable.