Manchester United Pursue Midfield Options: Sander Berge Back on Radar

Manchester United are widening the net in their search for midfield steel – and Sander Berge is back on the radar.

United’s recruitment team has been forced into a rethink after walking away from two eye-watering deals. Elliot Anderson went to Manchester City for £116million, Mateus Fernandes joined Tottenham Hotspur for £85m, and Old Trafford simply refused to join the bidding war. West Ham United’s relegation last season only sharpened the sense that those prices belonged in another world.

So the focus has shifted to a different bracket of midfielder. Names like Alex Scott at Bournemouth, Aurelien Tchouameni at Real Madrid and Andrey Santos at Chelsea are all under serious consideration. And then there is Berge – the familiar name now carrying fresh weight.

Berge back in the frame

United’s interest in Berge is not new. They tracked the Norwegian throughout the 2023-24 campaign at Burnley, before he made a £25m move to Fulham. At the time, United looked and passed. Fulham didn’t.

Now, with Berge impressing for Norway at the World Cup, the conversation has restarted.

On The Athletic’s Talk of the Devils podcast, Old Trafford reporter Laurie Whitwell underlined that point.

“Sander Berge is an interesting one. He’s playing pretty well for Norway in the World Cup,” Whitwell said, noting that United had assessed him before Fulham stepped in. At 28, he is entering his prime and, crucially, viewed as someone who could slot straight into Erik ten Hag’s side.

The message around Carrington is clear: Berge would not arrive as a saviour or a marquee headline. He would arrive as a reliable, physically imposing midfielder capable of operating at the level United now demand. The Athletic’s transfer dealsheet backs that up, stating that United previously considered Berge and could revive that interest on the back of his international form. Any deal now, though, would cost more than the £25m Fulham paid.

Scott blocked, Tchouameni and Santos monitored

While Berge gathers momentum as a realistic option, United’s ideal scenario appears to be different.

BBC Sport’s chief United correspondent, Simon Stone, has reported that Alex Scott has emerged as Michael Carrick’s top midfield target in recent weeks. Scott’s blend of press resistance, creativity and energy has made him one of the most coveted young midfielders in the league.

There is a major obstacle: Bournemouth have told both United and Arsenal that Scott is not for sale. No price. No negotiation. For now, at least.

That stance has pushed United to keep other irons in the fire. The Athletic has confirmed that the club are prepared to move for Tchouameni or Santos if the Scott pursuit hits a dead end.

Tchouameni would be the blockbuster move. If Jose Mourinho decides to cash in on the France international, United are ready to open talks over the €100m (£85m) Madrid midfielder. It would be a statement signing – the kind that reshapes a midfield and a wage bill in one swing.

INEOS, now driving the football operation at Old Trafford, are also showing firm interest in Andrey Santos. The Brazilian, on Chelsea’s books, is understood to be open to the idea of switching to United. A deal is expected to cost around £50m, though there have been no formal discussions between the clubs yet.

Value over vanity

What is becoming obvious is the new regime’s red line on price. Felix Nmecha at Borussia Dortmund has admirers at United, but the numbers kill the move. At a quoted €120m (£102.5m), he is effectively off the table. United are unlikely to act on that interest.

So the shortlist is being reshaped around a mix of ambition and realism. Scott if Bournemouth crack. Tchouameni if Madrid open the door. Santos if Chelsea are ready to talk. And Berge – experienced, affordable by comparison, already proven in English football – as a player who could walk through the door and get to work.

United have spent too many windows chasing the perfect name and ending up with the wrong fit. This time, the question is sharper: not who looks best on a marquee, but who actually fixes the midfield when the whistle blows.