The INEOS empire has a loan in the bank following an improved business year in 2025 at Manchester United, however with pre-season now, there are doubts looming over the recruitment drive this time around.
Midfield signings seem to be important at Old Trafford, although one by one, the options are starting to settle, with Elliot Anderson going to Manchester City, Mateus Fernandes joining Tottenham Hotspur and Aurelien Tchouameni staying at Real Madrid.
This last case sounds very familiar to United, who are often used as a way for top players to get contract extensions, evoking memories of a certain Sergio Ramos back in 2015.
There are low-key moves being made in Manchester, of course, but haven't we seen this before?
Why this summer is starting to feel like 2023 for Man Utd
The Red Devils head into the summer of 2023 on a positive note after winning the Carabao Cup and finishing third under Erik ten Hag, the Dutchman enjoying a respectable first season.
Yes, defeat in the FA Cup final and exit from the Europa League saw the campaign come to a quiet end, while the 7-0 defeat at Anfield proved a dark mark for him, but the club looked ready to bounce back ahead of the Ten Hag's second season.
There was talk of Harry Kane, Declan Rice and the like leaving, but the result was more difficult, with Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount entering the building.
The latter has endured three injury-riddled seasons in Manchester, while Onana and Hojlund spent last season on loan, with the Dane having made a permanent switch to Napoli.
Fast forward to the present day, and United have once again secured the Champions League title under Michael Carrick, after finishing third, and the parallels are clear.
A new goalkeeper will be welcomed, in the form of Karl Darlow, while Andrey Santos will join in another £50m-plus deal from Mount's former club, Chelsea.
The expected arrival of Ederson from Atalanta, Hojlund's former home, would have greatly enhanced the feeling of Deja vu, although it seems that this contract has hit the skids.
As for Santos and Darlow, they shouldn't be signed before they enter the building, but we still seem to have a huge need for quality signings this summer.
How Man Utd can recover from Tchouameni snub
It was felt that Tchouameni was keen to join United, if he was told he was surplus to requirements back in Madrid, although he is expected to sign a new contract until 2031 at the Bernabeu.
The 26-year-old has been a 'dream' by all accounts, a player the Old Trafford club have been eyeing for years, dating back to his time at Monaco.
Alas, that ship has sailed, although another French World Cup star could be on the agenda, following suggestions that Tchouameni's international team-mate Manu Kone is also being considered.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs – speaking on the United Stand podcast on Thursday – United have made “inquiries” about a potential deal for Kone, should a move for Ederson fall through – as it is now.
Currently on the books of AS Roma, it is expected that the 25-year-old could pay a fee of around £50m, if he were to leave the Stadio Olimpico this summer.
While not Tchouameni's elite, Kone has been widely featured after filling in for the injured Madrid man in France's midfield in recent World Cup games, proving to be influential alongside Adrien Rabiot.
Hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past as a “box-to-box midfielder”, Kone has excelled under the watch of Didier Deschamps, a man of his own and controlled in that sixth role.
|
Kone – Career Record |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The club |
Games |
Terms (Help) |
|
Gladbach |
86 |
6 (3) |
|
The Romans |
82 |
4 (6) |
|
Toulouse |
59 |
6 (1) |
|
Toulouse B |
19 |
1 (0) |
|
Toulouse U19 |
4 |
1 (0) |
|
The sum |
250 |
18 (10) |
|
France |
18 |
0 (0) |
In his four starts so far this summer, Kone has boasted a 93% pass accuracy rate, lost the ball just 7.3 times per game on average, while also averaging 1.3 successful long balls per game.
In context, that's not much different from Tchouameni's record from his three starts in the competition, where he enjoyed a pass accuracy of 91%, lost the ball just seven times per game, and averaged 1.3 successful long balls per game.
Tchouameni may be a strong defensive force, as he is comfortably clear in terms of tackles and blocks (6.0 vs 2.6), but the pair enjoy a similar record in terms of ball recovery, averaging 6.3 and 5.3, respectively.
It speaks to the depth of Deschamps that the absence of Tchouameni was not felt at all, Les Bleus still look secure even with Kone who replaced him, who has never conceded anything in the last two games.
Not that the Roma man is worth reading, as former Arsenal boss Patrick Vieira hails the former Borussia Monchengladbach star as “the best midfielder in France” right now.
At 6 foot 1, Kone is another tall midfielder, in the mold of Tchouameni, someone who could act as a real pillar in Carrick's midfield next season.
Moving a player based on recent performances is rarely wise, yet Kone has returned to Italy soon, ending the 2025/26 season with a 90% pass rate in Serie A, just below Tchouameni's 92% average in LaLiga.
With a potential fee in the region of £50m, landing the young Frenchman could represent a real coup for the Red Devils, and another exception for Ederson.
