Manchester United's summer transfer plan reveals a 120 million budget to sign a top defensive midfielder! No contact yet with Bayern's free defensive midfielder.

Due to Carrick’s strong leadership at the start, Manchester United ultimately chose not to make moves, neither bringing in new players in the winter window nor letting go of any current first-team members. This summer, the club intends to completely revamp the midfield. Casemiro, aged 33, will leave on a free transfer after his contract ends, and Ugarte might be sold. The Red Devils plan to purchase at least two midfielders.

British media reports that Manchester United has readied at least £120 million to acquire two defensive midfielders. If any players are sold, the funds will be reinvested in this area, potentially increasing the budget further. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano clearly stated: "Manchester United will go very big for midfielders in the summer window. They may sign one or two midfielders. With Casemiro leaving, United needs to rebuild the midfield."

It is well known that Manchester United’s three main targets are Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson, Crystal Palace’s Adam Walton, and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. However, Manchester City is interested in Anderson, Liverpool wants to compete for Walton, and only Baleba is eager to join the Red Devils. Therefore, Sporting Director Jason Wilcox and the transfer team need to keep an eye on alternative options.

Last week, Bayern Munich’s German international Goretzka officially announced he will leave after this season. Getting such a player on a free transfer will attract many top European clubs. In the past, Manchester United has been repeatedly linked with this "magnet card." However, Romano stated that currently, there has been no contact between the two parties.

"At the moment, Goretzka has no advanced negotiations; he will have many options. But Manchester United may prefer younger players rather than Goretzka," Romano explained. "In any case, keep a close watch on midfielders and Manchester United’s story in 2026; they will make some significant moves."

Another midfielder recently frequently linked with Manchester United is 23-year-old Middlesbrough key player Hayden Hackney, mainly because he was a favorite of Carrick during his time at Riverside Stadium. This player has been rumored to join the Red Devils before, but nothing materialized.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes’ long-term future at Old Trafford has also been a hot topic recently. There were rumors he proactively offered himself to Real Madrid, but Romano denied this.

Romano explained: "The story that Bruno offered himself to Real Madrid is entirely fabricated. Bruno has never contacted Madrid. Many clubs are interested in him, including Saudi Professional League teams and other top European clubs. Basically, he can go wherever he wants. Bruno doesn’t need to market himself, not just to Madrid. Moreover, he is happy at Manchester United and currently focused on helping the team qualify for the Champions League. Stop spreading the story about Bruno offering himself to Madrid; I don’t know where it came from, but it’s 100% fake news."

Bruno just celebrated his six-year anniversary at Manchester United and marked it by drinking with legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Unless something unexpected happens, this 31-year-old Portuguese midfield ironman will stay at Old Trafford this summer, as the club’s focus is building the defensive midfield area and there isn’t enough budget to find a replacement for Bruno.

Rumors say Manchester United has also prepared £70 million to sign a left-back and a center-back, and another £60 million to buy a winger. The club’s total budget reaches £250 million, and the allocation of these funds can be internally adjusted based on needs and market conditions.