Manchester United missed out on signing Declan Rice when the England midfielder joined Arsenal in 2023. Michael Carrick won’t want a repeat of that at a time the Red Devils are trying to revamp the midfield.
The transfer window will open along with the start of the 2026 World Cup, with strong representation from Manchester United.
United said goodbye to Casemiro at the end of the 2025/26 season, but Manuel Ugarte’s likely exit could lead to more additions for the centre of the pitch.
An agreement has been reached with Atalanta for Ederson, with United now expected to move for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.
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West Ham believe Mateus Fernandes can reach Declan Rice levels
United baulked at Declan Rice because West Ham were demanding £100m for the versatile midfielder’s signature.
Bruno Fernandes has gone on record to share his feelings that United missed out on Rice because he’s a player he would have enjoyed playing with in midfield.
Rice was a strong contender for the Premier League Player of the Year award, which was rightly given to Fernandes following a terrific campaign that saw him register a record 21 assists in the league.
However, Rice is now a Premier League winner, and he will be among England’s key players at the 2026 World Cup. That ship has sailed for United, and that will make Ineos wary of missing out on other midfield targets who could help take the team to the next level under Michael Carrick.
According to Sky Sports reporter Danyal Khan, United are still exploring a deal for West Ham ace Fernandes, but there have been no club-to-club talks yet.
The reporter adds that West Ham believe Fernandes could become as good as Rice, and they’re in no rush to sell their Portuguese star this summer, despite being relegated from the Premier League.
United are hoping to find a compromise on the £85m valuation set by West Ham for Fernandes.
Meanwhile, reports in Spain suggest Jose Mourinho has made Fernandes a priority target for Real Madrid.
- ⚡️ NEWS IN BRIEF
- West Ham believe Mateus Fernandes can reach Declan Rice levels
- Manchester United previously baulked at a £100m deal for Rice
- Rice became a Premier League winner this past season
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What did Ole Gunnar Solskjaer say about missing out on Declan Rice?
In 2023, former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opened up on his time in the Old Trafford dugout.
That involved missing out on key targets such as Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland and Rice.
“Erling Haaland, before he made his Salzburg debut,” Solskjaer told The Athletic.
“Declan Rice, who wouldn’t have cost what he did in the summer.
“We discussed Moises Caicedo, but we felt we needed players ready for there and then. Brighton are very good at letting players come from abroad and find their feet for a year and a half. At United, you don’t have that luxury and that has cost the club loads of players.
“We wanted Jude Bellingham badly — he’s a Man United player, but I respect he chose [Borussia] Dortmund.”
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