Youri Tielemans Coup Impressive, But Manchester United NEED One More | OneFootball

By Dylan Mc Bennett · July 14, 2026

The signing of Youri Tielemans took many, myself included, by complete surprise yesterday morning. Andy Mitten, one of the best journalists out there for Manchester United at the moment, had been suggesting the club had several names on their midfield list that had not been made public yet since the start of the window. That hypothesis proved true yesterday, with David Ornstein announcing that a deal for Tielemans was close.

United have moved quickly, triggering the release clause and completing the Aston Villa midfielder’s medical today. Tielemans is set to sign a five-year deal with the club and will either be announced later on Tuesday or certainly by Wednesday at the latest. It’s a clever move for an INEOS recruitment team who have been criticised since the window began. It’s further evidence that fans should wait before losing their minds over the club’s movements during the window.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 06: Youri Tielemans of Aston Villa in action during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Manchester United FC at Villa Park on October 06, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

INEOS REACTING QUICKLY FOR UNITED

A move for Ederson was officially pulled on Friday. Those close to the player were informed by Manchester United after the second medical, in which they found an issue with the player’s knee. United also informed Atalanta of their decision not to pursue the deal. It’s an unfortunate issue for a player who was very open to joining the club, but according to Ornstein, the door is not 100% closed and could be revisited later in the window.

Ederson is also available to negotiate with clubs from January, as he will be a free agent in the summer.

Tielemans for £35m is amazing business. The shock for most will come from how low that fee is. Many are shocked by Villa’s decision to negotiate a release clause that low into a player of that calibre’s contract. Tielemans signed a new contract extension in June 2025, taking it through to 2028. It feels unusual, given the player’s importance to the squad and to manager Unai Emery, that a deal like that would be formulated by the Villa hierarchy. It’s also clever of INEOS to find out about that release clause and then use it to their advantage, pinching a key midfielder from a top-four rival.

The thing for United now is they need a third midfielder. It’s a sheer necessity for the club to get a third over the line, and it can’t just be any midfielder. The signing United make needs to have mobility and physicality, to match the profiles they have already added to the squad in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans.

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BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 16: Carlos Baleba of Brighton & Hove Albion looks on during warm up ahead of the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Fulham at Amex Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

ARE YOU A BALEBA

All roads seem to lead to Carlos Baleba. The Brighton midfielder, despite his poor campaign last year, suits the exact profile the club need within that midfield. He’s mobile and physical, can drive with the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, and, when on form, does have the defensive discipline United need to make that switch from a decent side to an elite side.

Form will be a concern from last season, but environments matter, and perhaps the environment under Fabian Hürzeler was not productive for Baleba. His quality is undeniable, and his abilities and attributes are key to a midfield that lacks the exact qualities he has.

Alternatively, a signing that would be more difficult but perhaps just as fruitful would be Alex Scott. The leverage Baleba has is that he would likely be cheaper, just. He has effectively already agreed personal terms, so it is down to United to negotiate a fair fee with Brighton. This, in truth, is easier said than done, as Brighton have a reputation as a selling club to be less than easy to deal with.

Regardless, Michael Carrick needs another midfielder. Pre-season fixtures start on Saturday, and while United will have two through the door for that game against Wrexham, they would ideally like another to at least be close by kick-off. Baleba arguably gives the club the best chance of doing so.

Elsewhere, a deal for Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi is viewed as unlikely, with Manchester City now registering concrete interest in the midfielder, who is likely to leave Lille for around £90m. There is a chance he is signed and then loaned back out, but according to Ornstein, City want to sign the player and integrate him now. It doesn’t feel like United are one of the strongest suitors for the 18-year-old.

United have moved well so far in the market, but they need to stay consistent in the final weeks to avoid being left behind by the other teams.