Pep Guardiola has already praised a possible Paul Pogba replacement for Manchester United

After failing to sign a hol’ding midfie’lder last summer, senior figures in the Old Trafford boardro’om are planning to prioritize that position when the transfer window reop’ens. United want to sign a new centre back and a diverse attacking op’tion as part of their approaching rebuild under new manager Erik ten Ha’g.

Pep Guardiola has al ready prais ed a possible Paul Pogba replacement for Manchester United

However, it is their engine roo/’m that requires the greatest attention, and their plans to strengthen have be’en hampered by the confirmed exits of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Jes’se Ling’ard, and Juan Mata. Even with James Garner and Donny van de Be’ek returning from loan, United may be obliged to make more than one ‘acquis’ition in midfield.

Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips, and Frenki’e de Jong have all been identified as concrete targets in the run-‘up to the ma’rket reopening, however, all transactions appear difficult to com’plete.

Matheus Nunes of Sporting CP h’as joine’d a long list of names in the rumour mill. This season, he has p’iq’ued the interest of many.

Correio da Manha in Portugal h’as conn ected United with a €50 million move for his talents, amid intecrest frocm other potential European bidders. As it turns out, the pla yer has al ready impressed Guardiola, who praised the Brazilian-born Port’ugal int”ernational during their previous season meeting.

On their path to the Cha’mpions Leag’ue semi-finals, City faced Nunes and Sporting. The 23-y’ear-old wa’s powerless to stop City from running wild in the Portuguese capita’l of Lis’bon, but attacking brilliance from Kevin de Bruyne and co w’as insuffic’ient to overshadow Nunes’ individual effort