Man Utd: INEOS to go all in on new £80m midfield target as fresh SIX

Manchester United officials have already decided on their new number one midfield target after being emphatically beaten in the race to Mateus Fernandes’ signature by Tottenham Hotspur, and in the determination to still sign two more midfielders this summer, a new six-man wishlist has emerged.

The Red Devils were agonisingly beaten to the signature of top target Fernandes on Tuesday evening after it emerged that the player is to join Tottenham instead, this piece here exclusively revealing the three reasons why Spurs managed to beat United to his signature – and it’s not for the reasons you might expect.

Thankfully, Manchester United already had contingency plans in place in case they missed out on Fernandes – and now that has come to pass, the Red Devils, led by director of football Jason Wilcox, are now ready to pull the trigger on a push to sign their next top target.

Indeed, per journalist Ben Jacobs, United are now ready to turn their focus towards Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, though it could take as much as £80m to prise him out of Bournemouth, who are making it very clear they don’t want to sell.

Posting on X, Jacobs explained: ‘Manchester United set to explore Alex Scott after missing out on Mateus Fernandes.

‘Spurs to pay £85m for Fernandes, a figure #MUFC were not prepared to meet.

‘Fernandes never communicated to either club a sole preference, leaving it to both to negotiate with West Ham.

‘Bournemouth want Scott to sign a new deal and are prepared to offer him a release clause within in.

‘They value Scott around £80m. Arsenal, Manchester City, Spurs and Chelsea other clubs to watch.

‘Arsenal has already been directly informed on Bournemouth’s stance.’

Indeed, TEAMtalk has already revealed United have already enquired about Scott’s availability, receiving a very blunt response from the Cherries.

READ MORE: Man Utd sent instant message over approach for Alex Scott as INEOS face double transfer pain

Man Utd exploring transfer moves for six new midfield options

With Scott seen as a difficult transfer to pull off, Jacobs has named the other players who also make up their midfielder wishlist this summer.

He added: ‘#MUFC also have Aurelien Tchouaméni and Carlos Baleba on their list, and Spurs and Manchester City target Sandro Tonali is appreciated.

‘Cost of deal would need to drop for #MUFC to proceed.

‘Sander Berge is another name discussed.’

In addition to that, TEAMtalk sources have insisted that the club has already made contact with Borussia Dortmund over the availability of Felix Nmecha and have been encouraged that the Germany star is ‘interested in returning to England’, with a transfer deemed ‘very realistic’.

United’s transfer plans, though, have sparked two different responses from some of their former stars.

Paul Scholes is adamant United need to go big to beat the likes of Tottenham, Man City and Arsenal to the signing of Tonali.

Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, is insistent that United find a way to sign Real Madrid star Tchouaméni.

“I think Man United are holding the money back for one man, and that’s [Aurelien] Tchouameni,” Ferdinand said on X.

“If he becomes available in this market, Man United are not gonna miss – they can’t afford to miss with that one.”

While the situation is now a messy one for United and seemingly one without real intent or direction, our sources have insisted the club are still adamant they will sign TWO more midfielders this summer, despite a cruel injury to Manuel Ugarte which has ended plans to sell the Uruguayan this summer.

As part of those plans, United will shelve plans to sign a new left-sided attacker, and will now look to reintegrate Marcus Rashford into Michael Carrick’s set-up, with Fabrizio Romano explaining exactly how that might happen…

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