Manchester United’s summer transfer window has been largely focused on strengthening central midfield, an area the club identified as a priority well before business began.
The departure of Casemiro at the end of the 2025/26 season gave INEOS a clear signal that significant reinforcements were needed in the engine room at Old Trafford.
United pursued Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes during the window, but the Red Devils were beaten to all three of their identified targets.
The club subsequently moved to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Premier League rivals Chelsea for a reported £50m fee.
Santos, 22, has featured in all three of United’s pre-season games so far and has begun to show why the club’s hierarchy made a move for his services.
His standout performance came against Atletico Madrid, where he played 82 minutes of a 2-1 victory, completing 93% of his attempted passes and recording seven passes into the final third.
Santos also made three tackles, three interceptions, and won 100% of his ground duels against Atletico Madrid, catching the eye both in and out of possession.
Despite his impressive pre-season form, Santos will face stiff competition for a starting place when Michael Carrick’s side travel to face newly-promoted Hull City in the season opener.
Kobbie Mainoo will be determined to prove a point after missing the recent World Cup, while new signing Youri Tielemans will also push for a prominent role in United’s Premier League campaign.
INEOS are still reportedly pursuing a third midfield signing, with Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga emerging as a genuine target ahead of the final weeks of the transfer window.
talkSPORT has reported that the Red Devils have been offered a deal by the 23-year-old’s representatives, with the club having shown previous interest in securing his signature.
Slight concerns have been raised around Camavinga’s wage demands, and while no transfer fee has been publicly confirmed, the move is believed to be an expensive one.
In LaLiga during 2025/26, Camavinga completed 92% of his passes and achieved a 65% dribble success rate, both figures surpassing those produced by Santos.
Those numbers placed the Frenchman in the top 20% of all midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, underscoring his quality at the highest level.
Without the ball, Camavinga won 63% of the ground duels he entered throughout last season, placing him in the top 5% of all players in Spain’s top flight.
His tally of 3.8 tackles per 90 minutes further reinforces his disruptive ability, backing up journalist Thomas Hindle’s claim that he is “one of Europe’s best” midfield talents.
Signing Camavinga would likely push Santos further down the pecking order, though such a decision would be understandable given the Frenchman’s remarkable statistics from last campaign.
United are clearly still hunting for a top-level ball-winner, and Camavinga represents exactly the profile Carrick’s side need to compete seriously in the Premier League next season.
Whether INEOS can navigate the financial demands of a deal remains to be seen, but Camavinga’s arrival would undoubtedly improve the options available at Old Trafford.