There’s been no secret that Manchester United’s biggest efforts in the summer transfer window have been directed towards improving the central midfield department.

Even before the window opened, it was clear INEOS wanted reinforcements in such an area after Casemiro confirmed he would be departing Old Trafford at the end of the 2025/26 season.

It handed the hierarchy the perfect chance to start work on deals for players such as Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes - but the Red Devils were beaten to all three of the targets.

However, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise if one of the recent midfield additions continues to build on his impressive form throughout pre-season.

Why Santos could be the answer to United's midfield issues

Many United fans will have been disappointed at missing out on key targets and the subsequent move to sign Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos.

The Red Devils paid a reported £50m to prise the 22-year-old away from Premier League rivals Chelsea, but he’s already starting to show why the hierarchy made a move for his services.

He’s featured in all three of the club’s pre-season games to date, but it was his recent outing against Atletico Madrid which has seen praise be directed his way by the supporters.

Santos featured for 82 minutes of the 2-1 victory on Saturday afternoon, subsequently completing 93% of the passes he attempted - providing Michael Carrick with a pace-setter at the heart of the side.

He also made an impressive tally of seven passes into the final third, which saw him break the lines of the opposition - something which United desperately lacked last term.

However, Santos even caught the eye without the ball, as he made three tackles, three interceptions and came out on top in 100% of the ground duels he entered.

Whilst it’s only pre-season, the £50m man has already made an impressive start to life at United and could well start the season opener in just under three weeks time.

How United could land a better talent than Santos

Despite the Brazilian’s impressive showings of late, he will face a fight to secure a starting role when Carrick’s men travel to face newly-promoted Hull City in the season opener.

Kobbie Mainoo will have a point to prove after failing to feature at the recent World Cup, whilst new addition Youri Tielemans will also want to play a leading role in the club’s Premier League push.

However, the hierarchy are still in the market for a third new midfield signing, which has seen Real Madrid star Eduardo Camavinga once again appear on their radar.

It’s been reported by talkSPORT that the Red Devils have been offered a deal by the player’s representatives after showing previous interest in his signature.

They also claim slight concerns have been raised around his wage demands, and whilst no fee has been mentioned, it’s believed the move would be an expensive one.

The Frenchman has been a long-standing target for United, with a genuine chance to secure his signature seemingly emerging ahead of the last month of the window.

A deal for the 23-year-old would likely push new arrival Santos down the pecking order, but such a decision would be understandable given his stats from last campaign.

Madrid star Camavinga completed an impressive 92% of the passes he attempted in LaLiga, whilst also achieving a 65% dribble success rate.

Both of the aforementioned figures are higher than those produced by the Brazilian star, whilst also ranking him in the top 20% of all midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues.

Whilst his quality in possession is evident, he also managed to outperform Santos without the ball - subsequently winning 63% of the ground duels entered throughout 2025/26.

Like his numbers in possession, he ranked highly amongst other players in his position, with his ground duel success placing him in the top 5% of all players in Spain’s top-flight.

His tally of 3.8 tackles made per 90 reaffirms his phenomenal ability to disrupt the opposition, also backing up journalist Thomas Hindle’s claim that he’s “one of Europe’s best” midfield talents.

Like the aforementioned numbers, Santos was unable to get near such numbers in the Premier League - which could see the Brazilian settle for a squad role next term.

It’s evident United are still on the hunt for a top-level ball-winner, with Camavinga able to end such a hunt this summer should he complete a move to Old Trafford.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Frenchman will cost this summer, he’s a player who will undoubtedly improve the options available to Carrick next term.