Manchester United’s new midfield signing may break the £100 million barrier! A top club is scouting a left wing-back hailed as the German Cancelo.

Manchester United has made acquiring a new midfielder their primary focus for next year’s transfers, and the leading target is expected to command a significant fee. Thus, UK reports suggest the Red Devils may break their club transfer record in pursuit of this goal. Moreover, the club might bring in two midfielders, with the second likely being a more affordable option.

Manchester United requires new signings to handle the intensity of playing twice a week, unlike the current 33-year-old Casemiro, who struggles to complete full matches. The club’s ambition is to return to European competitions. Therefore, Ruben Amorim aims to sign a midfielder with Premier League experience to enhance the squad’s physicality and athleticism. Amorim also believes that recruiting a player already proven in the Premier League carries less risk.

Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and Adam Walton from Crystal Palace have emerged as Manchester United’s preferred transfer targets, but both are likely to cost over £100 million. This is driven by two factors: their performances at the World Cup and competition from other top clubs.

When Manchester United signed forwards like Mbemou and Cunha during the summer window, they faced no competition from giants like Manchester City or Liverpool, so prices remained reasonable. However, next year, many top teams will be vying for midfielders, and once bidding wars start, transfer fees will escalate.

Both 23-year-old Anderson and 21-year-old Walton are English and very young. If they perform exceptionally well at the 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup, their asking prices will inevitably rise. Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to save money, but he understands that signing a top midfielder next year will probably require breaking the club’s transfer fee record. Manchester United’s current record remains the £89 million paid in 2016 to re-sign Paul Pogba from Juventus.

Brighton’s Carlos Baleba remains on Manchester United’s radar. Brighton previously sold Moisés Caicedo to Chelsea for £115 million, which serves as a benchmark for Baleba’s fee. However, considering Baleba’s poor start to this Premier League season, his value might have dropped. Other midfield candidates for United include Wolves’ João Gomes and André, and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller, whose prices are comparatively lower.

Manchester United can raise funds or reduce wage bills by selling current midfielders. Casemiro’s £350,000 weekly contract expires at season’s end, and he may leave. Captain Bruno Fernandes has attracted strong interest from Saudi Professional League clubs, and if willing, the club would allow his departure. Academy graduate Kobe Meno is unhappy with his limited playing time, while Manuel Ugarte has struggled since joining from Paris Saint-Germain.

Besides midfield reinforcements, Amorim also wants to sign a strong wing-back. Nathaniel Brown from Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt has caught Manchester United’s attention. Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany reported that United is among several clubs closely monitoring Brown’s future, with top giants like Barcelona and Real Madrid also showing keen interest.

Brown joined Frankfurt in January 2024 on a loan-to-buy deal from Nuremberg and has shown remarkable progress over two seasons, contributing 14 goals in 51 appearances. He is dubbed the “new Cancelo.” Real Madrid scouts were present at Frankfurt’s matches against Cologne and Atalanta to assess his performance. Frankfurt wants to keep the newly capped German international and has set a high price between €60 million and €70 million.

Manchester United’s transfer chief Christopher Vivell, formerly with the Red Bull Group, has a strong interest in and appreciation for Bundesliga players. He was the driving force behind signing the €85 million striker Sechsko. However, compared to Premier League players, there are doubts about whether European league talents like Sechsko and Brown can adapt to the Premier League, especially since many Frankfurt stars have struggled after leaving the club.