Predicting Manchester United’s 2026 midfield rebuild as Carlos Baleba signs, Bruno Fernandes leaves | OneFootball

Manchester United’s midfield will look very different by the start of next season and this is how we think their rebuild will unfold via seven deals…

To buck recent trends, the Red Devils have been lauded for their transfer business in recent months after a rare positive window in the summer.

As evidenced by this damning list of signings, Man Utd have got plenty wrong in the days following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, but INEOS steadied the ship with their work on incomings and exits in the summer.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recruitment team did an admirable job of offloading most of their dead wood on their terms, with this business raising funds for signings in priority areas.

Ruben Amorim‘s side largely focused on bolstering their attack in the summer, which is understandable given how toothless they were last term, by signing Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. They also fixed their goalkeeping department as Senne Lammens replaced one of last season’s many weak links, Andre Onana.

United’s hit rate with these signings was unusually high for their standards, with Sesko currently the only one with dud potential.

All of this has set Man Utd up for an increasingly credible challenge for Champions League qualification this season, but a midfield overhaul is next on INEOS’ to-do list as they look to realise their goal of winning the Premier League title by 2028.

Despite the impressive form of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, central midfield has become a problem area for Man Utd as injuries and a lack of quality options have impacted Amorim’s side.

Also, for various reasons, each of Man Utd’s four main midfield options are facing an uncertain future, and a recent report claimed Fernandes, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte could leave as part of a ‘fire sale’ next year.

So, what will happen with these four players and who will be brought in to replace those who move on?

Well, starting in January, Man Utd’s activity is likely to be limited due to the winter market’s instability and their lack of funds.

But Mainoo would be the one to leave if there are any exits at all due to his reported insistence on having more game time, though this is dependent on Man Utd replacing the England international in the same window.

This prohibited Mainoo from securing a loan move elsewhere at the end of the summer’s window, but Man Utd will have a full month to find a solution that could suit all parties.

Given Man Utd’s financial situation, only a short-term solution is likely in January, and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, preferably purely on loan, is perhaps their most realistic target to tick a box until the summer.

In this context, the former Chelsea man would be the best like-for-like replacement for Mainoo they could hope for until the summer, with this deal being enough to permit the youngster’s loan to Napoli.

There has also been little indication of Mainoo wanting to leave Man Utd permanently, so in an ideal world, he plays regularly for Napoli for six months and returns to Old Trafford better for the experience.

By which point, he could become a starter for Man Utd alongside Carlos Baleba in what is still likely to be the club’s next long-term midfield pairing.

If Man Utd had their way, Baleba would already be playing in Amorim’s side and in a similar situation to Marc Guehi with Liverpool, it has been reported that the player and club still have their hearts set on each other heading into 2026.

While Mainoo remains the ideal long-term replacement for Fernandes, the same can be said for Baleba and Casemiro, who is also on borrowed time at Old Trafford.

Despite the form and attitude of Casemiro this season, age is not on the Brazil international’s side as he is surely in the final year or two of playing at the top level.

Still, Casemiro’s immense resurgence this term means it is looking increasingly likely that he could remain at Man Utd for at least one more year, with a new deal on lesser terms rather than an extension of his current deal more probable.

It would certainly boost Man Utd if Casemiro sticks around to help with Baleba’s integration in a reduced role currently adopted by Ugarte, who needs to be shown the door next year.

INEOS will hope that the £50m midfielder is one of Man Utd’s last major flops as their rebuild develops, with the former PSG man incredibly limited in possession and clearly not up to the required standard for the club.

It would be to the benefit of player and club if they part ways in January or next summer, which is also the case with Fernandes after the captain fired shots at club chiefs over their alleged push for him to move to Saudi Arabia.

Fernandes has been Man Utd’s best player over recent years, but they are short of time to cash in on their captain for £60m+ and next summer is perhaps their last opportunity to do so.

So, with Man Utd seemingly showing their cards to Fernandes in the summer and the midfielder appearing disgruntled, a natural separation feels more plausible by the day.

Mainoo is right there to fill the void left by Fernandes, but Man Utd certainly could do with another option to share the load and reported target Ruben Neves would fit the bill.

United are said to be lurking over a possible cheap deal in January, but there is a greater chance of a free transfer once his Al-Hilal contract expires in the summer.

With this, plus the cash to come in for Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and/or Mason Greenwood, Man Utd would still have funds left over to sign another quality attacker to provide adequate competition and defensive reinforcements.