Manchester United have reinforced their midfield over the summer following the departure of Casemiro. The veteran Brazilian left as a free agent, and Manuel Ugarte’s ACL injury, picked up at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, further accelerated INEOS’ plans.
The Red Devils subsequently signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea before securing the services of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Karl Darlow arrived on a Bosman move to strengthen the goalkeeping department, with both Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir leaving on loan.
Recent reports suggest that the English giants are close to completing a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, which would complete their midfield revamp. However, as the 2-0 defeat to Hull City on opening day highlighted, United still have gaps in the squad that may need to be addressed before the window slams shut.
Club legend Gary Neville has now offered his views on the result, while highlighting the areas of the pitch that need immediate attention.
United urged to bolster the backline
Speaking on The Gary Neville podcast, Neville insisted that the result was a massive wake-up call for United. He said: “Hull did everything they had to in terms of competing, being aggressive, organised and hard to break down.”
“Manchester United fell short in those areas in the early stages of the game and they have struggled at times against teams that play deeper. It’s a massive wake-up call. Hull didn’t just match Man United physically but were better than them in that area and that will be the big disappointment for Michael Carrick.”
“Too many players were well below par and he will want that to just be a blip, you can’t let it stretch into next weekend as well, they have to be at it.”
The former United right-back went on to point out that the Red Devils need to invest in the backline before the end of the summer. He concluded: “What it did highlight is that Man United defence isn’t good enough.”
“To be fair the club probably know that, they rebuilt the forward line last summer and rebuilt the midfield this summer with a few signings. I don’t know if they’ve got the money or not but they do need a centre-back, and they do need full-backs. They just do. There’s no other way of putting it really. That was highlighted yesterday.”
United remain linked to Edmond Tapsoba and Alejandro Balde
A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that United are leading the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba. The Burkina Faso centre-back has all the attributes to be a hit at Old Trafford and could be the answer to the Red Devils’ defensive conundrum.
Edmond Tapsoba Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 29 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 7 | - | 2,576' |
| UEFA Champions League | 10 | 9 | - | - | 3 | - | 811' |
| DFB-Pokal | 5 | 5 | - | - | 2 | - | 480' |
| Total | 44 | 44 | 5 | 3 | 12 | - | 3,867' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Meanwhile, the English giants also have their sights on Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde to address the left-back position. The Spaniard could be the ideal long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, who is on the wrong side of 30 and out of contract next year.
United, however, are well covered at the right-back position, with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui in the squad.
Final Thoughts
United still have some business left in the transfer market if they are to compete at the highest level this season. Attacking reinforcements cannot be ruled out either, with recent reports suggesting they have their eyes on Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr.
Featured image by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
