Midfielder jetting in to sign for Man Utd this week

Another one bites the dust for Manchester United, with the Red Devils seemingly missing out on another leading target amid the latest on Mateus Fernandes‘ future.

Having already seen Elliot Anderson close in on a move to the Etihad, INEOS had pivoted toward young Fernandes instead, hopeful of securing something of a knockdown deal following West Ham United’s recent relegation.

It’s never that straightforward with a certain Jorge Mendes involved, however, with United again deciding to step away from the bidding amid the presence of a free-spending Tottenham Hotspur.

By all accounts, the 21-year-old will move to north London for an eye-watering £85m fee, with those at Old Trafford perhaps having learned their lesson after being stung by investing heavily in the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Antony in recent years.

Sticking to their guns is a creditable move, but at some stage INEOS will need to get the chequebook out, or look to sign the next big thing instead.

Man Utd target already flying in for medical ahead of imminent move

This might seem like a case of sour grapes, but £85m for a player who has just suffered a second successive relegation does appear a little steep, with United wise not to get embroiled in a transfer tug of war involving the Portuguese.

The £116m Anderson has seemingly inflated the midfield market, with Bournemouth likely to demand at least £80m for Alex Scott, while the asking price for long-term United target, Adam Wharton, is also set to be in a similar ballpark.

Like with the case of Senne Lammens last summer, the Red Devils might just have to take a risk on a bargain, relative unknown instead, rather than splashing the cash on Premier League-proven talents.

Well, there is an update in that regard, with The Athletic reporting that an agreement is imminent for the signing of Colombian teenager, Cristian Orozco.

The suggestion is that the 17-year-old has flown to Manchester to undergo a medical, ahead of officially signing from Fortaleza when he turns 18 this month.

It is believed that the young South American will command a fee of around £850k, with United investing in potential rather than necessarily an immediate solution.

Why Orozco could be Man Utd’s answer to Fernandes

For all the excitement surrounding marquee, high-profile deals, there’s always a delight in seeing someone rise from obscurity to emerge as a cult hero at Old Trafford, be it Lammens, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Chicharito.

Maybe Orozco, still a mere teenager, could be the next off the conveyor belt in that regard, a surprise player who can force his way into Michael Carrick’s plans next season.

With Casemiro departing and Manuel Ugarte set to be sidelined for an extended period, there is a gap to be filled in midfield, with all the signs pointing to the Colombian youth international being a real star of the future.

Indeed, the belief is that he could be the ‘next Moises Caicedo‘, the Ecuadorian having at one stage appeared close to joining United, prior to his Brighton days, only for the club to back away amid complications surrounding his representation.

Signed by the Seagulls for a fee of around £4.5m, Caicedo is now among the cream of the crop in the Premier League, having joined Chelsea on a bumper £115m deal in 2023.

Hopefully, Orozco can enjoy a similar rise and prove to be Carrick’s answer to Fernandes too, emerging as another exciting young midfielder who can dominate in the centre of the park.

While perhaps a more defensive-minded option than the Portuguese, the two men are alike in what they offer out of possession, so adept at winning the ball back for their sides.

In Fernandes’ case, he ended 2025/26 having averaged 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game, as well as making 5.1 ball recoveries for the Hammers.

That record compares well to Orozco’s record at last year’s U17 World Cup, the teen sensation having averaged three tackles and interceptions per game, while recording 6.5 ball recoveries.

He’s a real midfield pillar, having won 67% of his aerial duels too, yet there is the silk to match the steel, as seen in his average of 0.8 successful dribbles recorded per game in the tournament. For comparison, Fernandes also had the same average in the Premier League last time out.

At club level, Orozco has actually made only five senior appearances thus far, suggesting that patience will be needed with him next season and beyond.

That said, it isn’t as if Fernandes was brimming with experience himself prior to joining Southampton in 2024, having at that stage made only ten appearances for Sporting CP, alongside just a solitary season out on loan at Estoril.

Two years on from first arriving in England, he is now an £85m player, highlighting just how quickly youngsters can rise. Hopefully, young Orozco can enjoy a similar ascent, particularly if those Caicedo comparisons are anything to go by.