Three Midfield Options For Manchester United To Pursue This Summer

As the summer transfer window edges nearer to opening at the beginning of July, Manchester United’s hierarchy will begin to assemble plans regardless of their ownership future being resolved.

Whether the club are still owned by the Glazers or a new dawn has begun at Old Trafford, Erik Ten Hag will be pleading with the club this summer to sign new midfielders to bolster his squad.

Here are three players that Manchester United are looking into:

Romeo Lavia

The former Manchester City academy graduate has taken the Premier
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League by storm given he is only 19 years of age.

Playing predominantly in defensive midfield, Manchester United have been monitoring the Belgium international this season now that he would be within the realms of possibility for acquiring.

While Southampton have struggled this season, Lavia, alongside James Ward-Prowse, has been a shining light at St Mary’s. The defensive midfielder plays with a calm head on his shoulders and the experience of a player 10 years his senior.

There are, of course, elements to Lavia’s game – such as quickness of his play – that need sharpening, but it is alarming how quickly the Belgian has slotted into life in the Premier League.

With Lavia’s contract not ending until 2027, Southampton are likely to demand a transfer fee north of £40 million. However, if they are to be relegated into the Championship, Lavia might well be one of the bargains of the summer.

Jude Bellingham

A player that has dominated the headlines for over a year now, Jude Bellingham’s future remains in doubt heading into the summer transfer window.

At 19, the England international has the world in the palm of his hand over his next move, with every European super-club battling it out to sign a generational talent.

Borussia Dortmund, his current club, will be looking for a fee over £100 million for the central midfielder, who has shown his ability on the biggest stage during the 2022 World Cup.

Manchester City and Real Madrid will be favourites, just in front of Liverpool, but Manchester United cannot be ruled out if they are to have new owners before the window opens.

If Ten Hag can secure another trophy and finish in the top four to qualify for next season’s Champions League, Bellingham might well just be swayed to see himself spearheading United’s new age at Old Trafford.

Frenkie de Jong

A player that is all too well known by Manchester United fans after a long drawn out saga ended in Frenkie de Jong remaining at FC Barcelona.

Erik Ten Hag clearly hoped he could entice the Dutch midfielder to Manchester last summer, but it was not meant to be. In terms of the midfield profile that the Dutch coach favours and wants most, it is that of de Jong’s.

A player that is press-resilient, smart, agile, and has the ability to glide past players with ease does not come around very often. But in de Jong, Xavi’s Barcelona has a generational midfielder.

It is going to be another drawn out process to try and secure the signing of de Jong, which might put Manchester United offer going down that path again, plus the cost of at least £80 million that the Spanish club will expect.

There only saving grace might just be Barcelona’s financial struggles, which are well documented, and having no choice but to sell one of their prized assets.