Why Man Utd would “love” to sign £80m star

For a club the size and scale of Manchester United, reports and leaks are so often prevalent, with it rare that something comes as a bolt from the blue.

Well, perhaps things are changing under the new INEOS regime, with United’s initial summer deals having taken everyone by surprise, after missing out on the likes of Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes.

The latter has moved to Tottenham Hotspur on an £85m deal, the same figure it looks set to cost for the Red Devils to bring in both Andrey Santos and Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans.

Whether the pair were truly first choice or not is another matter, with there certainly still plenty to be excited about as Michael Carrick‘s midfield unit begins to take shape.

What Man Utd can expect from Santos & Tielemans next season

Starting with Santos, the £50m Brazilian was confirmed as the first summer arrival at Carrington this week, three years on from United poaching Mason Mount from Chelsea for a similar fee under Erik ten Hag.

Mount’s time in Manchester has been hit by injury since, although hopefully the younger man will enjoy a more fruitful stay, fresh from making 43 appearances at Stamford Bridge last season.

He’s young and relatively inexperienced at Premier League level, yet there’s plenty to like about what Santos offers, not least his work out of possession, as he won 67.8% of his ground duels in 2025/26 – the best rate of any midfielder in the division.

As he showed out on loan at Strasbourg too, there is a Casemiro-esque goal threat to his game as well, with 2024/25 seeing the South American score 11 goals for the Ligue 1 outfit, three of which came with his head.

As for Tielemans, well, this feels like a real coup, even if the 29-year-old isn’t exactly a long-term addition, with the Belgium skipper such a classy operator for both club and country.

Perhaps similar to the signing of Christian Eriksen back in 2022, the vastly experienced playmaker is a masterful footballer to watch, so controlled and composed on the ball, yet with that knack for threading passes between the lines.

Indeed, he ranked in the top 20% of midfielders in 2025/26 for progressive passes per 90, ensuring that in games United are expected to dominate, the former Leicester City man could be the player to orchestrate things from deep.

A deal for the Belgian appears imminent, although the addition of a third midfield signing hasn’t been ruled out.

Why Man Utd are now chasing a Santos & Tielemans hybrid

With Ederson’s arrival from Atalanta seemingly off the table, and with Manuel Ugarte expected to be sidelined for an extended period, even bringing in Santos and Tielemans might not be enough in that midfield department.

The ‘dream’ target had been Aurelien Tchouameni, although the Frenchman appears in line to extend his stay at Real Madrid, reducing the options on the market even further.

With Anderson and Fernandes also moving elsewhere, the list of Premier League targets has also been trimmed, hence why INEOS pivoted to Tielemans and co.

As noted by David Ornstein – speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast – United do still have one clear top-flight target in the form of Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, a player the Old Trafford hierarchy are said to “love”.

In Ornstein’s view, the Cherries are not keen to sell the 22-year-old midfielder, although prior reports have indicated that he could fetch north of £80m, in line with Fernandes’ move to Spurs.

That would be a steep price to pay, yet Scott is certainly a talent, providing the best of both worlds in terms of what he offers in and out of possession.

Like Santos, he’s a real rising star who could be a part of United’s midfield for a decade, someone Carrick can build around for the long-term.

Like Brazilian too, he’s not necessarily pigeonholed into one specific midfield role, instead offering a real dynamic, combative approach, be it as a number eight or deep-lying number six.

Indeed, last term for instance, the Guernsey-born gem averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game, just ahead of Santos’ own 2.1 average at Chelsea.

He’s a player for Carrick and co to mould and develop, just like Santos, yet there’s a class and silk to his game already that is so impressive, certainly Tielemans-esque in that regard.

Like the departing Villa star, Scott floats around the midfield so gracefully, the metronomic figure in Andoni Iraola’s impressive side last season.

Against United earlier this year, for instance, the ex-England youth star was a delight to watch in the entertaining 2-2 draw, racking up 82 touches, while winning 100% of his tackles and duels, alongside successfully completing 100% of his dribbles.

In total, Scott scored and assisted just four league goals last time out, yet did create four ‘big chances’ and enjoy a solid 85% pass accuracy rate, having lost the ball just 10.4 times per game.

For comparison, Tielemans racked up four assists and created five ‘big chances’, while also averaging an 85% pass rate after losing the ball 10.2 times per game.

In essence, Scott boasts the mobility and energy of fellow rising star Santos, yet already has the class and composure of Tielemans, making him potentially the perfect third midfield arrival at Old Trafford.