Fabrizio Romano confirms Man Utd ‘chose against’ budget January signing as £320m quartet are targeted instead | OneFootball

Manchester United waived the opportunity to sign Wilfred Ndidi during the January transfer window, despite a green light from the player himself, with the club instead ready to put their entire energies into a mammoth summer rebuild and with four huge midfielder deals shortlisted instead.

It will be all change in the Manchester United engine room this summer. Casemiro has confirmed he will departing Old Trafford after a rollercoaster four-year stint at Old Trafford; the experienced Brazilian will free up plenty of cash given his chunky £325,000 a week wages which will now be cleared from the books.

And while the club have restored Kobbie Mainoo to the first-team picture after the youngster was seemingly phased out under Ruben Amorim, the future of Manuel Ugarte, who has failed to find his best form during his time at the club, remains under the spotlight.

As a result, our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, revealed back in November that the Red Devils are determined to bring in at least one, and as many as three new midfielders into the club in 2026.

The club were also offered several options through the January window, with the likes of Ruben Neves, Tyler Adams, and Ndidi all discussed by director of football Jason Wilcox and director of negotiations Matt Hargreaves.

Now Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Red Devils passed up on the chance to land Ndidi, despite the Besiktas midfielder making it clear he would welcome a move to Old Trafford.

“In terms of incomings, I can tell you that Wilfred Ndidi, former Leicester midfielder now at Besiktas, was offered as an opportunity to Man United,” Romano said on the Here we Go podcast.

“A low‑cost option, the player was very keen on the move, but United decided immediately not to proceed.

“They had the chance to do something like a low‑cost deal, but they chose against it.”

With United keeping their powder dry, we understand the club have now shortlisted four big-name signings as options to bolster their midfield this summer – and the players in question come with a combined valuation of an eye-watering £320m.

Man Utd target £320m midfield quartet

Indeed, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe eager to bring down the average age of players at Old Trafford, Fletcher revealed back in November that the likes of Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba had all been identified as primary targets for 2026.

And while January deals were always off the table for the trio, a big push to land them this summer will be made.

United have since learned, however, that Anderson now prefers a move to their chief rivals, with Fletcher revealing on January 12 that Manchester City have now made contact with the Nottingham Forest star’s camp.

Missing out on £90m-rated Anderson would be a blow, though Fletcher has confirmed United do have other irons in the fire, exclusively revealing on January 26 that the Red Devils have ramped up their efforts to sign Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace after establishing contact with the player’s agent.

The midfielder, 22 on Friday, would cost an estimated £80m.

United could find their third target on their summer wishlist, Baleba, costing an even greater amount, with Brighton, while relaxing on their £100m demands from last summer, now more open to his sale for a fee of nearer £90m this summer

Our reporter, Graeme Bailey, also revealed on January 14 that United had taken a shine to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, with the Cherries ramping up their own efforts to tie the midfielder down to a new deal.

That interest was rubberstamped on Wednesday after reports in Spain claimed the £60m-rated 22-year-old was now very firmly on their summer wishlist, with the combined costs of the quartet coming in at an estimated £320m (€369m, $436m).

Man Utd set for major cash injection; £100m Spurs star eyed

While United, of course, won’t sign all four, the summer ambitions at Old Trafford are at least crystal clear.

And their hopes of a major summer spree have at least been aided by the news that qualification for the Champions League will help unlock a £200m summer war chest to boost those hopes of adding fresh legs to their midfield.

Elsewhere, United have been told they need to target a summer deal for an elite Tottenham Hotspur star, even though a raid for the player in question could set the club back a mammoth £100m fee.

In other, more surprising news, United are also being backed to spring the ‘cut-price’ signing of a Premier League striker this summer, though there could be a rather large drawback depending on what happens to the player on the injury front this week.