Manchester United’s Midfield Dilemma: Insights and Future Prospects

Manchester United recently initiated discussions with Brighton & Hove Albion regarding the acquisition of Carlos Baleba. However, they decided against pursuing the transfer due to a disagreement over the Seagulls’ £100 million ($131 million) valuation. More recently, the Red Devils have shown interest in Elliot Anderson, who has emerged as a regular for the England national team over the past three months. His impressive statistics place him among the top midfielders in the Premier League, alongside Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.

Another player reportedly on United’s radar is Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, who made his first England start last week against Albania. Despite this interest, former United striker Dwight Yorke expressed skepticism about targeting the 21-year-old. He stated, “I’m not sure Adam Wharton is the answer. He’s still not quite there for me yet, and that’s an area of concern we must address. It is a gap in this Manchester United team. Historically, during the club’s most successful years, they always had a fantastic number six in that position.”

Yorke continued, highlighting the inconsistency of Casemiro, who he believes is pivotal in the team. “Casemiro has been hit and miss at times, and it’s a key part of your team. The central area of midfield is always so important. Finding the right players for that role is challenging, which might explain their struggles. They lack a player who can dictate the pace of the game, defend, and pass the ball forward while maintaining a vision for the play.”

He added, “These types of players are rare, which surprises me since, on the surface, it seems like it shouldn’t be the most difficult position to fill. Who would I prefer in that role? Honestly, I can’t think of anyone, as there’s too much hype surrounding some players. Perhaps bringing back Michael Carrick could be a solution? He would have been an asset to this team!”

Meanwhile, Head Coach Amorim has settled on a midfield partnership between captain Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro. The Brazilian has experienced a significant resurgence following a disappointing 2023-24 season, during which he faced criticism from pundits like Jamie Carragher. However, neither player is seen as a long-term solution, with Fernandes’ contract expiring in 2027 and Casemiro’s set to conclude next June. The club has the option to extend both contracts by an additional year, but substantial investment will be necessary to refresh the midfield and reestablish themselves as contenders for the Premier League title.

Amorim has expressed a desire to extend both Casemiro’s and Harry Maguire’s contracts by at least one year. However, Casemiro’s substantial wages, reportedly £350,000 per week, pose a significant challenge. It has been suggested that United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe criticized Casemiro’s contract upon acquiring his stake in the club in 2023, mainly due to his age; the former Real Madrid star will turn 34 next February and was signed in 2022 for an initial fee of £60 million, potentially rising to £70 million.

United’s recent performances have been less than satisfactory, drawing their last two matches against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, which interrupted a previous run of three consecutive victories. They aim to return to winning form at home against Everton on Monday, although they will be without striker Benjamin Sesko, who is expected to be sidelined for a month due to a knee injury sustained during the recent draw with Spurs.

Lisandro Martinez hopes to make his first appearance of the season against Tottenham after joining Argentina for training in Europe, despite not playing in any matches. Maguire is also expected to be available for the fixture against the Toffees, which will mark the one-year anniversary of Amorim’s first match in charge of United against Ipswich Town.