I'm basing this solely on analysis by a source I regularly read regarding player's performance and transfers. So definitely not claiming to be an expert.

https://www.thetransferflow.com/p/johan-manzambi-freiburg-s-latest-gem

Have friends from Freiburg so I oddly watch quite a few of their matches. He is definitely a box to box mid, could be a second in a double pivot for sure, but would offer a lot more going forward than a Ugarte for sure. He reminds me a lot of Kobbie to be honest.

Reading the article linked above and it sounded a lot like he and Mainoo would overlap a lot in skillset. Which isn't to say he would be a bad addition especially at a decent price but wouldn't be an obvious first (or I guess second now) choice considering the current makeup of the roster.

I could see him and Kobbie on the field together in a double pivot behind Bruno. The pure defensive mid just doesn't exist like it once did. Carrick wants to play more on the front foot up the field, so two mids with that skill set would be valuable.

This site provides a simple radar for midfielders (not as good as some, but it's free so it's for me lol)

https://datamb.football/midfielders/

Put in Santos and Tchouameni… they are kind of good at the same things and less at others (mainly carrying and key passes, which makes sense because you don't want your 6 running way up the pitch a lot). And key passes is why God created Bruno, you wouldn't expect that either. I mean, for 40-50M, this kind of makes sense. He is not as good as Tchouameni, obviously, but probably about half the price, and we don't know if he's actually available.

(Twitter is big mad though lol. I think he's suffering from having a name similar to Antony's last name and coming from the place that unloaded injured Mason; I genuinely think he'd be getting less grief he were coming from Aston Villa or somewhere).

Wake me up when Twitter isn't "big mad" about anything.

Another way to look at it. If he moved for 40m, all he'd have to do is be better than Garnacho for United to come out net positive on the deals. When one says it like that, Santos seems like a no brainer.

No woman? No cry…

Also …
Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing's gonna be all right.

Doesn't really matter, but since his name came up, sounds like Chelsea are having a tough time moving him on… I don't think we are going to get much from that sell-on clause lol.

Alejandro Garnacho is for sale this summer, as revealed on @talkSPORT back in April.

Chelsea will not consider a loan, as @BobbyVincentFL reported.

No club-to-club discussions at this point but a number of teams interested.🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/7TfTlSjgRL

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 6, 2026

Thanks...gonna need a frontal lobotomy now.

Hey, looks like we'll be getting Bruno back a little earlier than expected.

Dre_00 said:

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Hey, looks like we'll be getting Bruno back a little earlier than expected.

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Hey. Diego Dalot isn't chopped liver.

Ok. Jokes aside. Mazraoui is still playing. Is he the last one?

Bruno, Dalot, Cunha all went out the last two days.

ETA. Mainoo is still in but is he even getting to sniff the field for Tuchel?

Mainoo gets free admission to England games.

Edit: Oops. Premature reply. Lol

Oh and Lammens gets to watch Courtois (hopefully he's free soon).

Edit: And Licha (probably away for a while).

Technically Marcus.

Villa want 130mm for Morgan Rogers

Newcastle apparently sticking their nose in the Santos deal.

Spurs are looking to take another swing. Want Junior Kroupi Bournemouth want 100mm plus.


In other rumors, the Tchouameni deal is starting to sound like it's down to whether Jose plans to play him or not. We need that meeting to happen sooner than later. Unfortunately France don't look like they are leaving the tournament anytime soon. Tchouameni only has 2 years left on his contract. Wants a longer deal with a top club if he doesn't get it from RM.

Spurs are going to try and buy themselves out of 17th.

Santos deal appears to be the one advancing. I'm not saying it is something to put a lot of stock in, but his FotMob and Sofascore ratings were very high in Ligue 1. (You know who had two thumbs and doesn't watch Ligue 1? This guy.) But near the top, close to PSG's midfielders, near Cherki, near Greenwood (talent isn't why he's in Ligue 1, clearly). And his minutes were modest at Chelsea last year. I think the price is a little high, but it's becoming pretty clear that prices have moved. And he only just turned 22. On paper, this looks like a decent deal in this market. Ideally there would be more resume for Premier League, but that apparently pushes players in the 80M range these days, even if just a good year. And it gives us the ability to not be absolutely desperate while pursuing Tchouameni (we are still pretty desperate either way probably).

🔁ANDREY SANTOS TO MANCHESTER UNITED
✒️Deal to take Brazilian midfielder to Old Trafford from Chelsea 'edging closer'
🗣️Talks now progressing between both clubs
✅Growing confidence it gets done
💰Chelsea seeking £50mhttps://t.co/0Jv7fgmcUK#mufc

— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) July 8, 2026

Deal done:

🚨 EXCL: Manchester United reach agreement with Chelsea to sign Andrey Santos. Deal for 22yo #CFC midfielder worth £48m + £2m easily achievable add-ons & 10% sell-on clause. Permission given to undergo #MUFC medical; personal terms in place @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/TY4qfwhHT4

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 8, 2026

Ideally, I'd like to see some acknowledgement from the player that he wants United.

edit: we posted at the same time. we needed to get another target over the line. so, glad to see this happen.

For Brazilians, I don't think they are emotionally attached to anyone, largely. It's like being an engineer and choosing between like Apple and Google; you are excited for a job near the top of your profession, but I don't get the sense that most are actual fans of English clubs.

I'm not that clued in to who is reliable or not on Madrid, but I think this may be one of the more accurate (don't trust me very much):

🚨🚨💣 BREAKING: Aurélien Tchouaméni is 100% STAYING AT REAL MADRID.

DECISION MADE BY THE CLUB.

He will NOT join Manchester United.

SAGA OVER. @Ramon_AlvarezMM pic.twitter.com/yw1GKaSTFJ

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) July 8, 2026

Santos, Ederson...if Tchou isn't going to happen move on to Wharton, Baleba or Scott

Olympique Marseilles working to sell Greenwood to Fenerbahce for 40mm plus euros.

Really like the Santos signing . Seems more in the Casemiro mold than Fernandes, and at 30m cheaper, I'm much more down with it. Shocked Chelsea would move him for 50m, considering the market and it's to United.

HummingbirdSaltalamacchia said:

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Really like the Santos signing . Seems more in the Casemiro mold than Fernandes, and at 30m cheaper, I'm much more down with it. Shocked Chelsea would move him for 50m, considering the market and it's to United.

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Chelsea have to move players to support their books. They bought him for 12.5mm. Loaned him for several years and flip him for a profit.

Given that he had no realistic chance at first team football at Chelsea, the fee is a little higher than I would have liked but he also had 4 years left on his contract so Chelsea didn't need to sell. 50m probably about right. Chelsea get the transfer profit they crave so much and only lose a backup player. United get a young, talented player in an area of need that complements Mainoo well.

That's slightly less than 90m for Ederson and Santos or effectively the same as one Matheus Fernandes. Given the sheer lack of quality and depth we have in midfield with Casemiro gone and with Ugarte injured (or even when he was healthy for that matter), I think 90m for Ederson and Santos is a much better end result than 85m for Fernandes.

If Tchouameni is indeed staying at RM and/or not a realistic target, I'd like to see United target a more experienced player in midfield than the young mids they've been linked to for some time. Casemiro's on and off field leadership was immense. They're never going to fully replace it. But they'll get nowhere close to doing so by signing another 22 year old. Mind you no idea who that might be if it's not Tchouameni.

On the back of agreeing a £50m deal for Santos #MUFC will conduct a thorough medical exam on Ederson before determining whether to proceed with a €45m deal. Clarity is expected now the World Cup has finished. With @JacobsBen for @talkSPORT

— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) July 8, 2026

I'm sorry what?

Fab Romano reporting Santos requested to leave Chelsea and wanted United. United met with his agents twice early in the year. I like that.

Welp, no Tchouameni per Fab.

🚨⚪️ BREAKING: Aurélien Tchouaméni to sign new deal at Real Madrid soon, all agreed on contract until June 2031!

Real Madrid are ready to sign soon, as @FabriceHawkins @pepealvarezzz reported.

Man United deal never close due to high salary and Madrid not opening doors to exit. pic.twitter.com/5CYKarTb75

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 8, 2026

Out of the players we've been linked to, the closest to meeting this definition would probably be Sander Berge, who we were also linked to a couple years ago before he went to Fulham? (Twitter would NOT be happy, but I think his name has been re-circulated the last few weeks).

🚨⚠️ Éderson second part of medical will take place this week in England: Man United want guarantees before signing off the deal with Atalanta.

All set for €45m since one month ago but waiting on extra medical check next. 🇧🇷

🎥➕ https://t.co/Ho91uqLvT1 pic.twitter.com/B5ez2WbOmw

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 8, 2026

I wonder what's going on with this Ederson situation.

Chris Wheeler on Ederson:

The situation with Ederson is less clear. Concerns were raised over an initial medical exam, but United have denied rumours that the move may be off and insist the 27-year-old player will go ahead with a full medical. It's unclear when that will happen as Ederson enjoys a break after Brazil went out of the last 16 of the World Cup to Norway.