It's not so easy being Manchester United this transfer window.
As Erik ten Hag aims to continue his Red Devils revolution, reality has dawned on the Dutchman, who was backed to the hilt last summer following a wretched start to his first campaign in charge. 12 months later and the purse strings have been pulled tight amid the club's ongoing takeover saga, with United so far unable to sign their top targets that aren't named Mason Mount.
Midfield is an area where the lack of available funds has been most prevalent. Firstly, Adrien Rabiot snubbed advances from Old Trafford and chose to sign a new one-year contract with Juventus, despite the Red Devils being able to offer Champions League football. Declan Rice always seemed a pie in the sky and now he's set to join Arsenal. And then there was Moises Caicedo, who Chelsea have now opened talks with to make it three blows for Ten Hag. Mount is en route in a £60million deal from Chelsea, but there remains a feeling that one more is still needed - especially with Scott McTominay and Fred potentially on the way out.
With all that being said, Mirror Football takes a look at eight midfielders who United could turn to.
Frenkie de Jong
Alright, let's get it over with. Ten Hag loves Frenkie de Jong and despite being snubbed several times last summer, still wants to bring him to Old Trafford.
The issue is that De Jong, 26, loves Barcelona and is happy continuing his progression at the Camp Nou - or the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, where the Barca will play their home games next season. Nevertheless, the ex-Ajax star could still be forced out by the Blaugrana because of their well-documented financial woes, giving Ten Hag an ember of hope. Just don't bank on it.
Mason Mount
Moving on to another player who's already been the subject of serious interest from Old Trafford and now a likely arrival, Mason Mount officially remains a Chelsea player, having entered the final 12 months of his contract. But that's all set to change with United close to signing him, as the Red Devils have struck an agreement worth an initial £55million before a further £5m in add-ons.
The Blues were hopeful that they'd convince Mount, 24, to sign a new deal, as without a transfer, their academy graduate would be on course to leave for free next summer. Likely eyed by Ten Hag to operate just ahead of Casemiro and behind Bruno Fernandes, Mount's game intelligence will undoubtedly raise the level of the Red Devils' midfield and act as a long-term solution to their ball progression woes which Christian Eriksen helped fix last term.
Taylor Booth
Another confirmed target is American star Taylor Booth, who plays for Dutch side Utrecht. The attack-minded midfielder enjoyed a breakout campaign last season, scoring two goals and registering four assists in league play.
Ten Hag's interest was confirmed when United forward coach Benni McCarthy let slip that the Red Devils boss had contacted Booth's agent regarding the 22-year-old. Speaking to 947 joburg earlier this month, McCarthy revealed: "Ten Hag spoke to my agent Rob Moore about an American player in Holland, who my agent also managed."
Booth made the move to Europe in 2019, leaving Real Salt Lake in his home state of Utah. What's also notable is that United have already negotiated a transfer with Utrecht this month, agreeing to sell their own midfielder, Zidane Iqbal, for €1million (£850k) in a deal which includes a 40 per cent sell-on clause and a buyback option.
Good relations always come in handy.
Have your say! Which midfielder should Manchester United sign? Let us know your pick in the comments section.
Ryan Gravenberch
On the topic of good relations, Ryan Gravenberch is a talent who Ten Hag nurtured at Ajax but is now fading away from the limelight. Having joined Bayern Munich last summer, just as his boss and Dutch compatriot was heading to United, there were big things expected of the 21-year-old - certainly not a mere three Bundesliga starts.
Gravenberch failed to greatly impress both Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel throughout the course of the 2022-23 campaign, and that's prompted summering speculation of a move away. Dynamic and able to break the lines with his dribbling, the Netherlands international has even issued a warning to Bayern that they risk losing him if they can't offer an ample amount of minutes.
"I expected to play more minutes than I did," Gravernberch recently admitted in an interview with ESPN. "I thought I would get some more chances. It's about just wanting to play, that's the most important thing at my age. I hope it'll be at Bayern - otherwise, we'll just have to look further."
Sofyan Amrabat
Like how Gravenberch is believed to also be a target for Liverpool, United could find themselves battling their arch enemies for Sofyan Amrabat, whose stock skyrocketed during the World Cup. Helping Morocco reach the semi-finals, Amrabat demonstrated how he can run the show in midfield against some elite sides.
The 26-year-old also powered Fiorentina to the Europa Conference League final, losing 2-1 to West Ham in the dying embers. Amrabat would prefer to join a Spanish club, with his agent claiming that Barcelona are interested, but perhaps the Red Devils could convince him otherwise.
Joao Palhinha
Someone who profiles differently to the aforementioned quintet is Fulham's Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese is practically the definition of a midfield destroyer, having racked up a whopping 148 tackles in the Premier League last season, nearly a third more than next-best Caicedo.
A team-mate of Diogo Dalot and Fernandes at international level, Palhinha also spent time with the latter while coming through the ranks of former club Sporting Libson. At 27, the Fulham linchpin would likely be viewed as a long-term successor to Casemiro and act as the deepest-lying of Ten Hag's midfield trio.
He'd come as a hefty price, though, with Fulham reportedly slapping an eye-watering £90m price tag on him.
Joao Neves
Staying with Portuguese midfielders, Joao Neves is someone who hasn't yet made it out of his homeland. Only 18, the defensive-minded midfielder helped Benfica win the league title last season by making 17 appearances while attracting interest from elite European clubs such United, according to Sky Italia.
Neves has also starred for Portugal in the ongoing under-21 European Championship and due to face England in the quarter-finals on Sunday. With a tucked-in shirt like Manchester City hero Rodri, perhaps the Red Devils will choose to focus on a long-term heir to Casemiro by signing Benfica's teenage sensation.
Marcel Sabitzer
Finally, how about Ten Hag turning to someone who he's already familiar with? Signed on loan from Bayern in January, Marcel Sabitzer acquitted himself well before picking up a season-ending injury just before the campaign drew to a close.
Likely available for a cut-price fee, despite having two years left on his contract, the Austrian powerhouse would be a handy rotation option for the Red Devils, who benefited from his useful three goals in 18 games last term. He's likely not the most exciting signing for United supporters, but a safe bet in increasingly uncertain times.
Sabitzer also hasn't ruled a return, praising the Premier League during his spell. "This is the best league in the world," the former RB Leipzig captain told BILD. "Once you've played here, you know it's incomparable here."
