Manchester United are now in their Michael Carrick era, and during his playing days, he was a classic defensive/holding midfielder, in the purest sense. So the new United manager will naturally want to make sure the middle of the park is as strong as possible this season. Casemiro is now gone, with Inter Miami in frame to be his next destination. Who will be his replacement at Old Trafford? West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes is reportedly Old Trafford’s top target this summer, when it comes to filling this void.
The Hammers’ midfield maestro is likely going to be on the move, given the east London club’s relegation from the Premier League.
Tottenham are very keen on him. How keen? Well, according to ESPN, “Spurs have stepped up their interest and have shown a willingness to offer a higher transfer fee than the Old Trafford club.” West Ham reportedly value Fernandes at about £80m, so he won’t come cheap.
And that number could get much much higher, given that you have two big six clubs, with major resources at their disposal, into a bidding war now. It’s a clash of two clubs that have had polar opposite transfer windows thus far. Tottenham have signed four new players already, while United have done next to nothing.
If it’s not Fernandes who becomes the first signing of the summer, then maybe it’ll be free agent goalkeeper Angus Gunn.
Yes, it’s a bit of a surprising one, but the Sun claims United are interested, citing the connection to United Director of Football Jason Wilcox, who was coaching at the Manchester City academy when Gunn was coming up through the ranks there.
Gunn, 30, was let go by Nottingham Forest, having only made one single appearance for the Tricky Trees.
What a sight 🏴 pic.twitter.com/davqtifF32
— 🏴 The Tartan Army 🏴 (@TartanArmyGroup) June 24, 2026
United are in need of a backup goalkeeper this summer, as Andre Onana will not be integrated into the team, and instead off-loaded. Altay Bayindir will be jettisoned as well, as Senne Lammens will retain his starting spot in between the sticks.
Still Gunn finds himself very relevant now, internationally, due to the performance of the Scotland supporters at this World Cup. The Scottish team itself, well, they haven’t been all that spectacular, but the nation’s fans have been a leading story, all tournament long.
They lost 0-3 on the scoreboard… but Scotland’s Tartan Army won the hearts of the entire world tonight. Dancing, laughing, and partying with Brazil fans in Miami like nothing happened . This is what football is all about. They may not have taken the W, but they won everyone’s… pic.twitter.com/yoGCYyEFgC
— KumoriRaver (@kumoriRaver) June 25, 2026
The Tartan Army will certainly be missed; once Scotland is officially eliminated. Because…No Scotland No Party
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.