How are Manchester United revamping their midfield ahead of next season?

There are many areas that Manchester United need to strengthen next season, both on and off the pitch, but perhaps the midfield is the most crucial to the solution.

It had been an increasingly difficult season for Erik ten Hag and his midfield, which had seen Casemiro, signed for £60million two summers ago, lose form and consistency on a dramatic scale.

During the Brazilian’s first season at Old Trafford, the midfielder was the heart of everything good at Manchester United. Heart, desire, confidence, strength in the tackle, moving the ball forward quickly and with purpose. He broke up play well and distributed it afterwards, even with important goals such as the opener against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.

But this season, it was a different story. Casemiro has rarely looked fit to last 90 minutes and has been moved out of opposition so much, dragging him into no man’s land for a defensive midfielder. His tactical discipline seemed to have deserted him, rushing into tackles and one-on-ones when he would have been more adept at staying in front of the defense and shielding them.

Kobbie Mainoo’s arrival in the first team after his long injury layoff has given Manchester United’s midfield a huge boost. The England international, who is currently with the national team at the European Championship,

Mainoo is the Red Devils’ present and future, occupying the number eight role but can fill in at six if called upon to do so. The Englishman has shown an incredible technical and tactical level to his game, with many more to come given this was his first full season in the first team and he recently turned 19.

With Christian Eriksen and Casemiro likely to leave the club this summer should suitable offers come in, plus the 50-50 decision to be made on ACF Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, Manchester United will be in the market for one, if not two, mediate this. summer.

One player who is currently being scouted is Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte, who is currently representing Uruguay in this year’s Copa America. The 23-year-old did not have the easiest first season under manager Luis Enrique in the French capital, being used inconsistently throughout the campaign.

In the Parisians’ biggest games of the season, against Real Sociedad, FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages of the Champions League, Ugarte was used for 23 minutes. It showed a complete lack of confidence and trust in Ugarte from Enrique, who went on to say that the Uruguayan cannot lose the ball when he is not playing.

There is certainly a criticism of Ugarte’s game in terms of how optimistic and perhaps over-emotional he can become, but this is also a player who has been excellent for Sporting CP over two full seasons – including a display brilliant against Arsenal in the Champions League before being subbed off in the 118th minute.

Whether the Uruguayan can be trusted as a sole six in Ten Hag’s system is a question many are asking, but there is no doubt that physically, Ugarte has the tools to become an influential player in the Premier League.

The Red Devils are not being lured into a high-priced summer market this time around under INEOS. Like Joshua Zirkzee’s pursuit, which will cost £34m, Ugarte is likely around £40m.

Manchester United need reinforcements in midfield, but most importantly they need players who can be trusted not to abandon their position when the going gets tough.