Ince Questions £50m Santos Deal for Manchester United

Paul Ince has never been shy of an opinion, and on Manchester United’s latest midfield reshuffle he is crystal clear: the Andrey Santos deal doesn’t add up.

United, who spent last summer ripping up their forward line with the arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko for around £200million, have swung the spotlight onto the centre of the pitch. Casemiro has gone, the spine needed rebuilding, and Old Trafford has moved into its familiar mode of expensive urgency.

This time the chequebook landed on Santos. A £50m move from Chelsea for a 22-year-old Brazil international who has barely scratched the surface at Premier League level. For Ince, that’s where the alarm bells ring.

Ince questions £50m Santos call

‘I think the jury’s still out on that one,’ the former United and England midfielder told Oddschecker, laying out his doubts over the size and sense of the deal. He sees a club paying top-end money for potential when a homegrown answer may already be in the building.

‘To spend £50m on a young central midfield player when you’ve got [Kobbie] Mainoo coming through the ranks kind of baffled me a bit,’ he said.

United had chased Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes earlier in the window, only to watch Anderson join Manchester City and the other two head to Tottenham. The transfer plan lurched again when they backed away from Ederson, then pounced on Youri Tielemans by activating a £35m clause to prise him from Aston Villa.

So the picture now? A cluster of midfielders, a lot of money spent, and a manager in Michael Carrick who must decide who actually carries the weight.

Tielemans, Ederson and a crowded engine room

Ince is far more comfortable with the Tielemans move. He sees the Belgian as a natural fit for United’s creative hub.

‘Obviously Tielemans I think is a fantastic player. More of a Fernandes type of player, but a very good player,’ he said, before noting that United are still trying to revive the Ederson deal with Atalanta.

It leaves Carrick with a glut of options in an area that has been crying out for clarity. Santos, Tielemans, the possible arrival of Ederson, the existing cast, and, at the heart of Ince’s argument, Mainoo.

‘I think he’s [Mainoo] the man who can play that role,’ Ince insisted. ‘He’s young, he’s got legs, he can keep hold of the ball.’

That’s where the debate over Santos sharpens. Why throw £50m at another young central midfielder when the club’s most exciting academy product is knocking on the door of a permanent starting role?

Mainoo’s evolution under the microscope

Ince has watched Mainoo’s development closely and doesn’t sugar-coat the early stages. The teenager, he felt, was too safe.

‘I always thought when Mainoo, when I watched him, he kind of did things easy, got it, passed it. When you play that role, and I’ve played that role for 20 years, you’ve got to do more than that.’

The change, in his eyes, came late last season. Mainoo started to impose himself.

‘Towards the back end of the season, he started to tackle, win balls, set things up, get himself in the box, make things happen. And he looks a completely different player.’

If that version of Mainoo returns, United’s midfield could look very different very quickly. Ince believes the youngster can anchor the side, even after what he calls an “immensely disappointing” World Cup with England. The challenge now is consistency, not talent.

‘If he can repeat that form this season, then, you know, I think it’d be great for United. But they’ve got plenty of options in there. So it’ll be interesting to see which way Carrick goes.’

Rashford at a crossroads

Midfield isn’t the only storyline swirling around Old Trafford. Marcus Rashford’s future has become another summer talking point, and Ince’s tone shifts from analytical to protective when the forward’s name comes up.

‘I kind of feel for Rashford. I really do because I think he’s a fantastic player,’ he said.

Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona, rediscovering his spark away from the scrutiny of Manchester. He scored, he smiled, he looked like the player United once thought would lead them for a decade.

‘I’m not sure if many people watched him last year playing for Barcelona, he was scoring goals, he was enjoying himself, and he looked a completely, completely different player,’ Ince said.

Then came the twist. Barcelona, weighing up their options, chose to spend £75m on Anthony Gordon instead. The door slammed shut, and Rashford’s path clouded again.

‘It absolutely kills him,’ Ince said of that decision.

Even at the World Cup, there were flashes: that trademark finish cutting in from the left, low into the bottom corner. Proof, for Ince, that the talent hasn’t gone anywhere.

Carrick’s arm around the shoulder

Amid reports that Carrick is ready to hand Rashford a fresh chance, Ince is convinced the manager holds the key.

‘I think Carrick can get the best out of him. I really, really do,’ he said. The prescription is simple: clarity and trust.

‘If Carrick just puts his arm around him and says, “Yeah, listen, you know, I want you at the club, I need you at the club. This is where you’re going to play. This is what you’re going to do.” Then I believe you’re going to see a very, very good Rashford for Manchester United.’

For Ince, the equation is straightforward. A happy Rashford is a devastating Rashford.

‘There’s one thing for sure, he is a very, very talented player and if he’s happy, he’ll perform for you.’

Pre-season hints, bigger questions

On the pitch, Carrick’s United have already offered a glimpse of their contradictions. A flat 1-0 defeat to Wrexham in Helsinki, followed by a ruthless 5-0 dismantling of Rosenborg. The next tests come thick and fast: Atletico Madrid in Stockholm, then a trio of eye-catching friendlies against Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan.

All of it builds towards an opening-day trip to newly promoted Hull City on August 22, a fixture that will demand more answers than questions.

By then, Santos will be in the building, Tielemans will be bedded in, and United may or may not have pushed the Ederson deal over the line. Mainoo will either be trusted at the heart of midfield or nudged aside by the new arrivals. Rashford will know if he is central to Carrick’s plans or drifting towards the exit.

The money has been spent. The options are there. Now comes the hard part: turning a scatter of signings and second chances into a coherent team that finally looks like Manchester United again.