Manchester United's must-buy new midfielder in the January transfer window! It might not be Bissouma, as Nottingham Forest's new English talent is also a contender.

Although Manchester United spent £250 million on transfers this summer, there are still many areas needing improvement, midfield being one of them. Now, Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has disclosed that the Red Devils will bring in a new midfielder next January, raising hopes among Old Trafford supporters.

The 33-year-old Casemiro cannot maintain top form for the full 90 minutes due to his age, while Manuel Ugarte has been inconsistent since his transfer last summer. Amrabat seems to lack confidence in Cody Gakpo’s defensive midfield abilities, preferring to use him as a number 8. As for the makeshift captains Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount, both are offensively stronger than defensively.

Brighton's 21-year-old defensive midfielder Carlos Bissouma is seen by Ruben Amorim as the perfect addition to the team's core lineup. However, the "Seagulls" valuation is very high, reaching a British record of £120 million at the time. Ultimately, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos concluded that such a deal could not be completed this summer.

Afterward, Manchester United tried to secure alternative signings before the transfer deadline, showing interest in Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, and rumors also suggest they contacted Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, but none succeeded.

According to insiders, Manchester United is preparing a British transfer record offer next year, willing to pay €150 million to acquire Bissouma. This deal might be completed as early as January but is more likely to wait until the summer window. Romano now confirms the authenticity of Manchester United’s plan to buy a new midfielder next year.

Romano stated that Manchester United will definitely sign a midfielder in the winter window, but he also clarified that although Bissouma remains the absolute top target, players like Gallagher cannot be ruled out as alternatives. Because signing a Brighton starter mid-season will definitely involve a price increase.

“A new midfielder will join Manchester United in January 2026,” Romano said. “It’s still unclear whether this will be a top-tier player like Bissouma, which would be a very difficult deal, or an opportunity arising in the market, such as Gallagher.”

According to “Football Insider,” other midfield targets have appeared on Manchester United’s shortlist, such as Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson. The 22-year-old new England international is considered to fit perfectly with Amorim’s tactical philosophy. Former United chief scout Mike Brown revealed: “Manchester United have been monitoring Anderson, who has performed excellently at Nottingham Forest, earned a call-up to England, and delivered a man-of-the-match performance in his last game. United believe he is exactly the kind of midfielder they want to bring in — he runs tirelessly on and off the ball, controls possession with confidence and security, and isn’t afraid of challenges, which is what the team needs.”

Brown added: “Anderson can solve many problems Manchester United faced under Amorim’s management or at least help alleviate them. Everyone knows they wanted a midfielder this summer but couldn’t find the right candidate at their desired price. I don’t know what Anderson’s transfer fee will be, but he is definitely on United’s radar and would be an ideal fit to fill the squad gap.”

According to “TEAMtalk,” there is another surprising name on the list — Ruben Neves from Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Crescent, who was often linked with Manchester United during his time at Wolves. His contract expires in summer 2026, so he could transfer cheaply in the winter window. The 28-year-old Neves wants to return to European football after scoring 9 goals and assisting 24 times over two seasons in Saudi Arabia.