MANCHESTER UNITED plan to switch their attention to a left-sided target after they reinforce their midfield.
United have agreed a £35million deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta and are expected to submit a formal bid for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes.
Arsenal have cooled their interest in Fernandes while Real Madrid expect him to join United.
Ederson and Fernandes would bolster an area where United only have two out-and-out midfielders in Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte.
Once United have secured two midfield incomings, they intend to reinforce their left-hand side.
Fernandes’s West Ham teammate, Crysencio Summerville, is of interest while Newcastle left back Lewis Hall wants to leave for a Champions League side.
United’s preference remains to sell Marcus Rashford, who will become their highest earner again next month when his parent club starts paying his salary again.
Barcelona decided against signing Rashford for £26million after a season-long loan and brought in fellow England left winger Anthony Gordon from Newcastle for £69.3m.
Rashford, 28, has not played for United since December 12 2024 and has spent two spells on loan at Aston Villa and Barca.
United are open-minded about whether to bring in a left winger or a left back as Patrick Dorgu, nominally a left back, has developed into a left winger.
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Matheus Cunha, brought in as a No.10 last year, has established himself as United’s starting left winger since replacing the injured Dorgu in January.
United are also conscious of Luke Shaw’s contract situation. Shaw is about to enter the final year of his United deal and would have to take a pay cut to his basic salary to earn a renewal.
Nineteen-year-old Harry Amass is set for first-team exposure at the start of United’s pre-season schedule and fellow 19-year-old left back Diego Leon could also be involved. Both could leave on loan.
United had assessed left back Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal before he regained his place in the run-in to last season, starting in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
United’s right-hand side is set to remain untouched after the signings of Bryan Mbeumo and Noussair Mazraoui in recent summer windows.
Right winger Amad signed a new contract in January 2025 and right back Diogo Dalot is under contract for two more years, with the option of another year.
Ugarte’s United future is uncertain as the club is open to offloading the Uruguay international after two sorry seasons.
United would be prepared to move for a third midfielder if they can get Ugarte off the books but do not want to actively hawk him around as it could drive his valuation down.
Although United would require around £25m for Ugarte to avoid a loss under the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules, they could afford a small loss after the £40m sale of academy graduate Alejandro Garnacho and other minor academy sales last year.
United admire Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Bournemouth talent Alex Scott but new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho wants to keep Aurelien Tchouameni.
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