Man Utd’s midfield splurge leaves Sesko gap as Santos doubts linger

Manchester United, overseen by Michael Carrick, have drawn fire for not securing a £51m proven striker while completing the Andrey Santos midfield signing, a gap highlighted by former assistant Rene Meulensteen as the club heads into the new season.

Midfield overhaul and spending

The Red Devils announced from the start that they would bring in at least two, preferably three, midfielders after Casemiro’s free‑transfer exit to Inter Miami and the cruel ACL injury to Manuel Ugarte at the World Cup.

United responded by landing Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined fee of £155m (€181m, $210m), a spend that co‑owners claim meets their summer objectives.

Striker shortage and criticism

Despite the midfield cash, United still require a new left‑back and another centre‑forward to cover Benjamin Sesko, who began the season on the injury sidelines but made his first start against Sabah in the Champions League.

Meulensteen told TEAMtalk that United are “a bit short upfront”, praising Sesko’s youth and recent goals against Everton and Sabah, but insisting the club needed a different type of striker, naming former Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins as the ideal option.

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He added that Watkins moved to Al‑Hilal for £51m, noting the difficulty of retaining players when Saudi clubs offer such sums.

Meulensteen also questioned whether United could have sacrificed one of the midfield signings for a striker, suggesting Santos offers the least impact among the new midfield acquisitions.

He pointed out that Santos, signed from Chelsea for roughly £50m, is not comparable to Baleba, who brings power and explosiveness, whereas Santos functions more as a link player.

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Baleba’s profile, combined with Tielemans and Mainoo, forms the core of United’s midfield, while Bruno Fernandes is given freedom to operate further forward.

The debate continues ON social media, with many urging the club to address the striking deficiency before the season progresses.