Manchester United are ‘discussing personal terms’ to sign Tevez player

As manager Michael Carrick knows better than anyone else, finishing third last season was a sign of progress but nothing more, and merely qualifying for the Champions League is not cause for celebration for Manchester United.

Even in the fallow period following Sir Alex Ferguson, United were unable to significantly lower standards or expectations, and in hindsight, the INEOS regime may have helped by keeping Ruben Amorim on after their worst result in the Premier League.

If anyone is better placed to maintain this standard, it is the Englishman Carrick. He was part of one of the best teams in the club’s history, particularly between 2006 and 2009, spearheaded by an attacking line-up of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and later Carlos Tevez.

The Old Trafford side are still a long way from those heady days, but the club will be slowly hoping to make their current squad competitive again in their ongoing search for new signings.

Manchester United ‘discussing personal terms’ ahead of next summer’s deal

After Carrick’s appointment was confirmed last month, there is a quiet calm at United right now, a sense of stability after a tumultuous few years under Amorim and Erik ten Hag.

Atalanta’s first deal for Ederson is already almost confirmed, with the only real delay on this front appearing to have been the Brazilian’s late call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad.

There has also been talk of an approach for West Ham United’s Dutchman Crisencio Somerville, who scored for the Netherlands in last week’s game against Japan, and is expected to be available for around £50m following the Hammers’ recent relegation.

However, United’s real priority remains the 24-year-old’s club colleague Matheus Fernandes, although manager Fabrizio Romano has indicated that INEOS are still in active negotiations to sign the Portuguese playmaker.

Romano confirmed the news on his YouTube channel that Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race after discussions with the player’s agent, but it is the Red Devils who are still in “concrete discussions”.

It is hoped that the Old Trafford side, who have already “discussed personal terms” with the 21-year-old, still have the upper hand, but the deal could be one to watch.

Why Fernandes could be the exciting second coming of Tevez at Manchester United

It may seem daunting to pay a reported £80m transfer fee for a player who has struggled with successive relegations in the Premier League, but United have a history of extracting gems from struggling teams.

For example, back in 1993, a player named Roy Keane was transferred from Nottingham Forest after they dropped into the second tier, and more recently Tevez was poached by Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2007, after the Hammers had barely managed to stay in the club.

At the time, the relentless Argentine had just completed an excellent first season with the Hammers, capping things off with a goal on the final day at Old Trafford to keep the Irons safe.

In fact, he only scored seven goals in the 2006/07 season, all of which came after March, but the youngster’s talent was clear as he moved to Manchester and reached a new level once again.

The less said about what happened in 2009, the better, but even if he wasn’t a star like Rooney or Ronaldo, it’s hard to argue with the return of the South American, who scored 48 goals and provided an assist in 99 games under Ferguson.

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In the case of Fernandes, the former Southampton man boasts a similar artisanal or terrier-like quality to his game, potentially endearing him instantly to the Old Trafford faithful, and was himself a shining light at the London Stadium last season.

Unlike Tevez, who usually plays as a deep midfielder, Fernandes has an almost old-fashioned all-action style of play, and his work outside of possession is better than, for example, Casemiro’s average of 3.5, as evidenced by his average of 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game in 2025/26.

As with Tevez, there is still some rawness in his game, making four errors that led to shots in the Premier League, but his output has been matched in the end, as seen in his solid return of seven goals and assists in total.

Having seen the legs of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen deteriorate in midfield in recent years, Fernandes will inject some youthful energy and mobility and provide the freshness this team sorely needs.

It was signings like Tevez that helped improve Fergie’s team years ago. The legendary Scot found a diamond in the rough even after the Argentine player previously spent a limited spell in England.

It seems like a similar story could be said about Fernandes. Fernandes is another bright talent for the Hammers and could very well explode at the elite club next season.

Hopefully I’ll be wearing red instead of white in August.