Manchester United’s summer transfer window has gone the way Michael Carrick expected after being handed the job as permanent manager.
The 44-year-old has made it clear that he wants to add strength to the pitch this summer, but his efforts and those of INEOS have not been successful in the past few months.
Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have emerged as three Red Devils targets in the ongoing summer transfer window.
However, all three talents mentioned above have moved to other Premier League outfits and forced Carrick and his team to look at other options.
New additions desperately need to be made before the season kicks off in late August, with a repeat of the 2024/25 campaign not an option for the Red Devils.
Difference between Bruno playing as CAM & CM of United
Ruben Amorim’s tenure as United manager was one to truly forget as he made many offensive calls – none more so than working with Bruno Fernandes as a central midfielder.
The Portuguese was a mainstay in the top ten before his teammates arrived – but Amorim still decided this was the best move.
In 36 appearances in the top flight for England, the 31-year-old managed to score eight goals and provide 10 assists, which is still the highest number of any player in the top flight.
However, the Red Devils suffered greatly due to the change of position of Fernandes, after which the campaign of 2024/25 in fifteenth place.
Carrick’s appointment last season saw a huge change in the way the Portuguese played after returning the midfielder to a more natural attacking position.
Bruno finished last campaign with 21 assists – breaking the Premier League record for most assists in a single season by a player.
|
Most assists in a Premier League season |
|
|---|---|
|
The player |
Mathematics |
|
Bruno Fernandes |
21 |
|
Kevin De Bruyne |
20 |
|
Thierry Henry |
20 |
|
Mesut Özil |
19 |
|
Mohamed Salah |
18 |
|
Cesc Fabregas |
18 |
|
Frank Lampard |
18 |
|
Kevin De Bruyne |
18 |
Such a change highlights the importance of keeping Bruno in his natural form, which also shows why INEOS needs to pull out its checkbook and find a top-class striker who can dispose of every chance he creates.
Man Utd could make the dream signing of Bruno Fernandes
It cannot be denied that United’s third place finish in the Premier League last season would not have been possible had it not been for Fernandes’ efforts in the bottom third.
There is no doubt that he needs more help in the midfield department to take the Red Devils to the next level, but other areas of the pitch could also be strengthened ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The frontline is another area that could see new additions arrive, with players able to benefit from the Portuguese international’s talents behind them at Old Trafford.
It was reported by TEAMtalk this week that United are preparing to move Bayern Munich defender Harry Kane if he is available, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘dreaming’ of completing the move.
The England international is yet to pen a new deal at the Allianz Arena and INEOS are said to be keen on the striker – and are willing to adjust their budget to land the striker.
It’s not the first time the Red Devils have been keen on the 32-year-old, and it’s no surprise given his impressive numbers over the past 12 months.
Kane, hailed as “the best player in the world right now” by journalist Daniel Storey, made 56 appearances for the German side last campaign, scoring an incredible 64 times while assisting eight of his teammates.
As part of his impressive goalscoring streak, he netted 36 goals in the Bundesliga – helping Vincent Kompany’s side win the title for the second season in a row.
Even in the current World Cup, Kane continued to score a lot of goals – after that he scored six goals in six games he played for the England national team.
His goal scoring ability has been consistent throughout his career, as evidenced by his tally of at least 24 goals in his last 12 seasons.
Natural goalscorers are hard to come by in the modern game, and United have a good chance of securing the services of a deadly talisman this summer. Can you imagine his goal threat combined with Fernandes’ ability to pick a lock? This could be United’s best partnership since Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo met at Old Trafford.
It is unclear how much of a chance the Red Devils have of signing Kane this summer, but INEOS should jump at the chance to sign the 32-year-old ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The combination of Kane and Fernandes at Old Trafford would be generational, not to mention greatly increase the club’s chances of ending their Premier League drought.
