Paris Saint-Germain have the best midfield in Europe, and Manchester United can take plenty of inspiration from the strategies they used in the transfer market to reach the next level.
It’s a huge summer at Manchester United. Michael Carrick will begin preparations for the 2026/27 season at Carrington next week, while fans are still waiting for the midfield to be revamped following Casemiro’s exit.
To make matters worse for United, Manuel Ugarte has been ruled out with a long-term injury. The Uruguay midfielder was expected to leave Old Trafford this summer before sustaining a lengthy setback at the 2026 World Cup.
United fans are bound to become impatient if there is no movement in the coming weeks, especially after seeing targets such as Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali join other Premier League clubs.
Which transfer targets do you NOT want Man Utd to sign?
Let's turn the transfer question on it's head, and give Jason Wilcox some advice…
Man Utd should take note of PSG’s midfield spending since 2020
Despite possessing a seemingly bottomless pit of cash compared to most clubs, PSG’s midfield spending since 2020 hasn’t been excessive.
The reigning champions of Europe have a blueprint United would do well to follow.
PSG worked hard to hunt for value in the market. That is evident when you look back at the midfielders they’ve signed in the past six years to help form the best midfield in Europe under Luis Enrique.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that not every transfer mentioned in this piece has been a success for PSG. They made mistakes, including Manuel Ugarte, but that didn’t stop the Ligue 1 giants from making a small profit when United signed the Uruguayan for £42.2m plus add-ons.
PSG’s midfield signings since 2020:
- João Neves – £56.3m
- Manuel Ugarte – £51.1m
- Vitinha – £35.4m
- Fabián Ruiz – £19.2m
- Kang-in Lee – £18.8m
- Gabriel Moscardo – £17.1m
- Carlos Soler – £15.5m
- Renato Sanches – £12.9m
- Dro Fernandez – £6.9m
- Xavi Simons – £3.4m
- Georginio Wijnaldum – free
- Cher Ndour – free
There has been a shift in PSG’s recruitment strategy over the last few years. Instead of dropping £100m+ on a marquee name, the French club replaced an ageing, high-wage midfield including Marco Verratti with a fleet of younger, press-resistant players with technical ability.
The trend here is how PSG avoided overspending on midfielders. Ugarte may be the exception, but they still managed to get a good fee for him in 2024.
So far in 2026, it looks like United are taking a similar approach by walking away from deals for Anderson (£116m), Fernandes (£85m) and Tonali (£100m).
Which World Cup talent do you want Man United to target this summer?⚡️
Some real standout performers already, but have any convinced you that they should be United targets?
Complete list of players who represented Man Utd and PSG
Many top players have played for both United and PSG down the years.
This list contains iconic figures and free transfers.
Every player to play for United and PSG:
- David Beckham
- Gabriel Heinze
- Angel Di Maria
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Ander Herrera
- Edinson Cavani
- Manuel Ugarte
There are a few current PSG players that United fans would welcome on that list.
Examples include Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Neves, and Vitinha.
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