Manchester United once had a Zinedine Zidane-esque midfielder, who legendary Red Devils midfielder Paul Scholes compared to Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard.
Man Utd looking to sign new midfielder in January
After missing out on a new central midfielder during the 2025 summer transfer window, Man United have set their sights on signing one in January, and a number of potential targets have already been identified.
Target
Current club
Potential cost
Carlos Baleba
Brighton
£115m
Adam Wharton
Crystal Palace
£50m+
Conor Gallagher
Atletico Madrid
£45m
Elliot Anderson
Nottingham Forest
Unknown
There are clear indications that Ruben Amorim needs to bolster his options in the engine room, with Scholes suggesting Bruno Fernandes isn’t cut out to be a central midfielder, while also singling Casemiro out for criticism.
The 50-year-old said: “Fernandes [and Casemiro], they’re the two he’s [Amorim] going with, and Fernandes for me, he’s someone who fills in as a midfielder, he might get away with it for one, two or three games. He’s not got the discipline to be a central midfield player.”
“Bringing two No.10s (Cunha and Mbeumo) was that really necessary? You think you’ve got Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo can do that.”
Man Utd now eyeing January move for "unbelievable" £47m Baleba alternative
The Red Devils are looking to sign a central midfielder, who could be perfect for Ruben Amorim.
1 ByDominic Lund Sep 10, 2025
Having arguably gotten their priorities wrong in the summer, United look poised to make a move for a new central midfielder this winter, and they will be hoping the new signing can eclipse Paul Pogba’s achievements, with the Frenchman leaving on a free back in 2022.
Pogba’s career at United didn’t pan out the way anyone was hoping, but he received extremely high praise not long after returning to Old Trafford, with Gianluigi Buffon saying:
Scholes was also a keen admirer of the central midfielder, saying:
Pogba had the talent to be an all-time great
The 32-year-old’s time at Old Trafford was by no means a complete failure, having won two EFL Cups and the 2016-17 Europa League, but there is no doubt that the midfielder didn’t manage to hit the heights expected of him.
Given how highly the 91-time France international was rated by Scholes and Buffon, he had the ability to become an all-time great for Man United, but things didn’t work out that way, arguably due to his attitude, which Graeme Souness regularly criticised.
Souness said: “Paul Pogba plays for himself, it’s all about how cool he looks, showing us how clever he is. I reckon Pogba’s only in the team to maintain his transfer value until United can sell him, because he doesn’t merit his place for any other reason.”
With Pogba’s doping ban over, the former United man arguably has one last chance to get his career back on track, having now signed for AS Monaco on a two-year deal.