Man Utd target England duo despite Ugarte arrival

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 10 Sep 2024 10:41 CDT
• 3 min read

Manchester United remain interested in signing a new central midfielder, despite the summer arrival of Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte.

The Red Devils finalised a deal with Paris Saint-Germain during the final few days of the transfer window and Ugarte was unveiled as a Man Utd player on Deadline Day.

However, Erik ten Hag’s side remain in the hunt for a midfielder and will pursue another addition in this area of the pitch in 2025, as per Manchester Evening News.

READ MORE: ‘Months’ until Manuel Ugarte stars for Man Utd

Casemiro remains at the club, but he was recently slammed for his performance against Liverpool and his time at the top level of football appears to be almost over.

As a result, Man Utd are hoping to sign a new central midfielder next summer. According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, they are eyeing moves for Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney.

Both players were named in England’s U21 squad for the September internationals against Northern Ireland and Austria, although Wharton was forced to withdraw through injury.

READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe chooses his replacement for Ten Hag

Man Utd want Adam Wharton and Hayden Hackney

Wharton’s selection in Ben Futcher’s first squad as interim England U21 boss came following his inclusion in the Three Lions’ 26-man Euro 2024 squad over the summer.

The Crystal Palace star failed to make a single appearance during the tournament, but Gareth Southgate opted to call him up following an immense string of performances after joining the Eagles from Blackburn Rovers in January.

The 20-year-old is also reportedly being watched by Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, meaning Man Utd will face significant competition for his signature if they opt to seriously pursue a move in 2025.

As for Hackney, he has starred for Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough over the past few years, and both Arsenal and Liverpool have been linked with a move within the last 12 months.