Manchester United has added another candidate to their midfield shortlist, with a deal possible for just £26 million! He is hailed as a blend of Pogba and Kante.

United are weighing up a move for a midfielder in the closing stages of the transfer window. Having failed to secure Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and struggling to sign Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, the club is now linked with Sevilla’s Lucien Agoumé.

Ruben Amorim thinks Baleba, at 21, is a perfect fit for his tactics, but United simply can’t afford Brighton’s astronomical £120 million asking price. The Red Devils have abandoned their pursuit of Baleba for this window because they cannot meet that figure.

It remains uncertain whether United will seek other midfield options during the current window. When asked by fans last weekend if United would go for Baleba, The Athletic’s David Ornstein replied: “It’s unlikely, not this summer anyway, but maybe in the future. If United have funds, they might look for another number 6 this summer—let’s keep an eye on further developments.”

According to English media, United will prioritize selling several players Ruben Amorim doesn’t want before the European transfer deadline on September 1. The club is still eager to offload Højlund, Garnacho, Sancho, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia. Should enough funds be raised through these sales, United may consider bringing in a midfielder.

Agoumé is the latest name linked with United. The 23-year-old, who also has Cameroonian heritage, has made 52 appearances for Sevilla since joining from Inter Milan two years ago. Reports say his contract contains a €40 million (£35 million) release clause.

Moreover, Sevilla are reportedly open to accepting a lower transfer fee if the offer is attractive enough. United could potentially sign the midfielder for just £22-26 million (€30 million), which is only a fraction of Baleba’s valuation. In the opening round of La Liga, Agoumé played the full match and scored, though Sevilla still lost 2-3 to Athletic Bilbao.

Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, Agoumé also holds French nationality. He grew up in France, came through Lyon’s academy, but developed at Sochaux, making his Ligue 2 debut at 16. Inter Milan later signed him, and he gained experience on loan at Spezia (Serie A), Brest and Troyes (Ligue 1), before joining Sevilla in 2024 on an initial loan with an obligation to buy.

As a defensive midfielder, Agoumé is tall, strong, and excels at interceptions, tackles, and aerial duels. Last season in La Liga, he averaged 4.73 tackles and interceptions per game, ranking him in the top 2% of all European midfielders. He’s also very composed on the ball, and thanks to his vision and accurate long passing, has been dubbed another Pogba. While he may not be as naturally gifted as the former United star, some believe he combines Pogba’s qualities with Kante’s relentless defensive work rate, making him a balanced player.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says it’s still unclear if United are interested in Agoumé. “I don’t know yet whether United have started talks for other midfielders after Baleba… let’s see what happens in the coming days.”

Signing a quality player for a lower fee wouldn’t affect United’s future pursuits of Baleba or Wharton. Agoumé could also provide valuable squad depth, especially since veteran Casemiro, whose contract expires next summer, is certain to leave the club.

Casemiro still has 12 months left on his contract and has decided to stay at United for another season. “I’m very happy at United, and my family is happy here,” he said. “I enjoy every day at Carrington and Old Trafford. There’s always talk from the outside, but I don’t care about that—I just want to focus on winning games.”

Agoumé is a realistic target for United this summer, while rumors linking them to Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga seem more like fiction. Spanish outlet “Fichajes” reports that Real have set an €80 million price tag for the 22-year-old Frenchman, which effectively ends any hope of a deal.

Camavinga started only 11 La Liga matches last season, spending much of the year sidelined with knee and hamstring injuries. He also missed Real’s 1-0 win over Osasuna in the opening round this season due to an ankle sprain.

United need a midfielder who can make an immediate impact, but Camavinga is both expensive and injury-prone. He is under contract at the Bernabéu until 2029 and earns £200,000 a week. If Amorim were to sign him, it would be a surprising move.