Price of elite Man Utd target hits crazy new level as INEOS aim to fix all-time blunder | OneFootball

Manchester United are on alert after a fresh report revealed how the price tag for one of their top midfield targets has now dropped again, while two sources discuss why talk of a surprise Old Trafford reunion refuses to go away.

It’s no secret that Ruben Amorim wants to revamp his midfield engine room in 2026, especially given the continued doubts over the futures of Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro, while top clubs in Saudi Arabia continue to hunt skipper Bruno Fernandes.

A plethora of midfielders have been linked with Man Utd, but the latest reports coming from the Middle East have teased an absolute Old Trafford bargain.

Price drop for Man Utd midfield target

Of all the midfielders linked with United, few have the experience of former Wolves star Ruben Neves, who is now being primed for a bargain exit from his current club Al-Hilal.

The 28-year-old moved to Saudi in 2023 and has scored 15 goals in 114 games for Al-Hilal, having previously spent six years at Molineux where he chalked up an impressive 30 strikes in 253 outings.

However, Al-Hilal and Neves are at somewhat of an impasse, with the SPL outfit offering the Portugal international a new two-year contract that he has yet to make a decision on.

And, given his current stance, a new, reduced transfer fee has been revealed by his current employers.

According to talkSPORT, Al-Hilal are prepared to listen to offers of £15million or more should Neves choose not to sign a new deal, which is less than the £20m that was previously being demanded.

United will likely have to act quickly if they want to secure a deal for Amorim’s fellow countryman, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle also showing significant interest in Neves.

The whole situation has now become a waiting game when it comes to Neves giving Al-Hilal a concrete yes or no to his contract offer, with a scramble expected should his answer be in the negative.

Man Utd ‘dreaming’ of shock reunion

Two sources have revealed how Manchester United would love to sensationally re-sign Scott McTominay, after admitting they were wrong to let the midfielder leave in the first place.

The Scotland star scored 29 goals in 255 appearances for the Red Devils after being handed his first-team debut back in 2017. However, he was often used in a deep-lying midfield role, with numerous Old Trafford bosses falling foul of the same mistake.

McTominay’s last season at United was his best, as he netted 10 times and saved Erik ten Hag’s job on more than one occasion. However, that did stop a €30million (then £25.7m) sale to Napoli, where the 29-year-old has since taken his game to another level playing as more of a box-to-box midfielder.

Indeed, McTominay was named Serie A’s MVP last season as they won the Scudetto, amd now CaughtOffside reports that United have been left stunned by McTominay’s meteoric rise in Italy and ‘dream’ of bringing him back to the Premier League.

The report states that INEOS ‘regret’ their decision to sell the midfielder and are ‘considering’ a move to bring him back, amid strong interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Arsenal.

This report comes after our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, exclusively first revealed way back on November 20 that United and Arsenal are exploring surprise moves to land McTominay.

We also understand Napoli will demand a bigger price to sell McTominay than the £60m fee suggested by CaughtOffside. Indeed, Fletcher has reported that ‘any bid below €80m (£70m) would be laughed out of the Napoli boardroom’.

Man Utd are the latest club to join the race for AZ Alkmaar sensation Kees Smit, we understand, but face a battle with SIX Premier League clubs and top European sides for his signature, as sources reveal the record-breaking fee needed to sign him.

Manchester City are interested in adding another midfielder to their ranks and believe they could beat Manchester United to the signing of Elliot Anderson in 2026, we can reveal.

Elsewhere, United are likely to take very different stances over the departures of both Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo in January, though claims the latter has “lost belief” in the current set-up will only fuel Everton’s hopes of signing the pair amid reports they are weighing up a double loan raid.