Not only Guimaraes – £19m ‘Brazilian magician’ also wanted at Man Utd | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly interested in bringing Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara back to the Premier League.

With Casemiro leaving the club and Manuel Ugarte facing an uncertain future, MUFC are plotting a major midfield overhaul, as Kobbie Mainoo appears to be the only central midfielder who is certainly destined to remain at Carrington beyond the current campaign.

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It should also be noted that Bruno Fernandes had started the campaign as a central mifielder at Ruben Amorim’s orders, only to be returned to his more natural role as a No.10 following Michael Carrick’s arrival.

Man Utd add Gabriel Sara to midfield shortlist

With the Red Devils expecting to sign at least two new midfielders next summer, they are being linked with a plethora of profiles from the Premier League, the rest of Europe, and beyond.

In recent months, Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, and Adam Wharton were considered the main candidates for the role.

However, Bruno Guimaraes has now emerged as the primary target for the role, with Man Utd officials holding talks with his agents, according to multiple sources, including Fabrizio Romano.

Nevertheless, a Turkish reporter has now revealed that the Newcastle United stalwart isn’t the only Brazilian wanted at Old Trafford, claiming that Galatasaray’s Gabriel is also ‘very high’ on the shortlist.

“Manchester United is closely monitoring Gabriel Sara’s situation,” he posted on his X account.

“With the opening of the summer transfer window, Manchester United is expected to make an offer to Galatasaray for Gabriel Sara.”

Why Man Utd will consider signing Sara

Sara already had an experience in England. After rising through the ranks at Sao Paolo, Norwich signed him in 2022 for £8 million, before selling him to Galatasaray for almost double the price. During his time with the Canaries, he was nicknamed the ‘Brazilian Magician’ by his teammates.

The Joinville native is a central midfielder who can occupy various roles. He’s able to feature as a No.6 or a No.8 in the double pivot, and even play further up the field as an attacking midfielder.

Transfermarkt estimates the 26-year-old’s current value at €22 million (or £19 million). While Galatasaray would likely request a higher figure, he’s still considered a relatively affordable profile when compared to Man Utd’s other targets.

Since the Red Devils need to sign multiple midfielders in the summer, making two major investments could be difficult, hence why INEOS will certainly consider cheaper alternatives to the likes of Anderson, Baleba and Guimaraes.

Some sources expect Man Utd to make only one big-money signing, in addition to one or two less costly recruitments. So it remains to be seen if Sara will be one of the names that Jason Wilcox and Co. will seriously consider.