Manchester United have some big transfer plans for 2026, but what can we expect from them in the final days of this period?
The Red Devils had a quiet January, but while there is some good news there as some big names remain, they are also looking at players who are already summer targets.
The transfer deadline is until 7pm on Monday February 2nd, so there is still time for clubs to make last-minute moves, but for now it looks like it will be a quiet period for United.
Manchester United consider midfield transfer targets ahead of summer
Much of United’s focus is on their midfielders at the moment, even before the club and player announced last week that Casemiro would be leaving the club at the end of the season.
It is understood that Casemiro was given the chance to stay on with a significant pay cut, but that did not materialize and the experienced Brazilian will need a replacement.
Elliott Anderson is United’s dream target, but they are also keeping an eye on other players, with some sources seeing Manchester City as early favorites to sign the Nottingham Forest midfielder.
joan gomez
As reported here, Joao Gomez is another name on United’s radar following his impressive performances at Wolves. They note the signing of Matheus Cunha from Molineux last summer, and this seems likely to be another opportunity for them, especially if Wolves are relegated.
Adam Wharton
Meanwhile, like Anderson, Adam Wharton is another young English talent who is attracting a lot of interest, with Sky Sports recently claiming that MUFC are interested in him. Crystal Palace have recently released big names such as Ebereshi Eze and Marc Ngehi, so it would be natural for a big club to be keen on a chance with Wharton.
felix finish
Felix Nmeka has impressed at Borussia Dortmund and, having watched him recently, we understand that both United and Chelsea are big fans. However, signing the German international will not come cheap and it will be interesting to see if United instead focus on the likes of Anderson, Wharton and Gomez, who already have a proven track record in the Premier League.
Who will stay and who will go?
Casemiro could be on the move in the summer, and Manuel Ugarte is likely too, but the good news for now is that Bruno Fernandes and Coby Mainu will stay.
BBC Sport recently reported that the Portugal international will not seek a move from Old Trafford this month. However, the report adds that he plans to reassess his situation in the summer, when he still has one year left on his contract.
Meanwhile, Koby Mainu is no longer considering a move after being given assurances about his role by new caretaker manager Michael Carrick. The England international has been a target for several clubs, but has started and played 90 minutes in both games against Manchester City and Arsenal since Carrick took over.
This was a huge boost for the club, as Mainu had fallen out of favor under previous manager Ruben Amorim and there seemed to be a real risk of losing him. Napoli showed concrete interest in the summer and this January, and Chelsea were also fans of him.
Harry Maguire is not scheduled to leave the club in January this year, but he is attracting interest as his contract is nearing expiration, and there are no talks regarding a new contract yet, and it is expected that he will move as a free agent in the summer. As we recently reported, Maguire’s situation has Chelsea on guard as a surprise suitor.
Other notable Manchester United transfer stories
Marcus Rashford continues to impress during his loan move to Barcelona, but it is not yet clear whether he will definitely stay there permanently.
The England international is said to be attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain if a move to Barça does not materialise, but a return to Man United remains highly unlikely.
These PSG links are from Football Insider and we know this is a story with a lot of history, as according to Fabrizio Romano’s X post from a few years ago, the Ligue 1 giants have spoken to him before and praised him publicly…
Finally, a name that will be on the radar at United and many other top clubs is talented young RB Leipzig winger Yann Diomande.
It has been reported that United have made an offer for Diomand, but it would be a complex and expensive deal and is likely to wait until the summer.
If Diomande’s move doesn’t work out, MUFC are likely to consider similar players such as Matheus Cunha or Benjamin Sesco who could strengthen their attack power after a somewhat inconsistent debut season, but as already mentioned, Rashford is unlikely to return.
