Manchester United Pursue Neco Williams as Rebuild Accelerates
Manchester United’s summer plan is starting to show its teeth. Champions League football is back at Old Trafford, and with it comes a transfer window that is beginning to look far more ambitious than cosmetic.
Michael Carrick steered his side to third place in the Premier League last season. Respectable, yes. But inside the club there’s an acceptance that simply holding ground is not enough. United want a deeper squad, a sharper edge, and a team that can handle the rhythm of domestic and European football without creaking.
That means numbers. And quality.
Midfield overhaul takes shape
The first wave of that rebuild is coming through the middle of the pitch. United are closing in on two new midfielders, reshaping the core of Carrick’s side.
Andrey Santos has already taken the decisive step. The Chelsea midfielder has completed his medical and signed his contract with United, with only the formal club announcement to follow. Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal, stating that Santos has put pen to paper as a new Manchester United player.
Ederson is the next piece they want to lock in, but his move carries a little more tension.
The Atalanta midfielder has already undergone one medical check in the United States. A second, more detailed assessment in England is scheduled for this week amid concerns over a previous knee injury. Romano explained that Ederson will have further tests in the UK with United’s own staff before the club give the final green light.
The agreement is there: terms settled, parties aligned, verbal commitments made. But United are refusing to call it complete until those medical results land. Atalanta and the player are waiting on United’s verdict from the English tests before anything is signed off. For now, it remains a deal on the brink, not yet over the line.
Behind those two, the club’s search for midfield depth continues. Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport reports that United are weighing up a move for France international Manu Kone, currently at Roma. The 23-year-old is viewed as one of the more attractive options on the market, with Roma valuing him at around €50 million and open to serious offers that meet their price. There is no fire sale, no pressure to cash in, but a clear willingness to talk if a substantial bid arrives.
Carrick and the recruitment team want at least two, possibly three midfielders in this window. Santos and Ederson could be the start, not the end.
Former Liverpool defender on United’s radar
While midfield dominates the headlines, United are also moving quietly but decisively in another area: full-back.
Neco Williams, once of Liverpool and now a key figure at Nottingham Forest, has emerged as a live target. According to BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, Manchester United have registered their interest in the right-back and made contact over a potential move, even as Forest continue talks over a new contract for the Wales international.
Newcastle United are also in the frame, adding a competitive edge to the chase. Williams, still only 23, offers energy, delivery and Premier League experience, and would tick a clear box in United’s recruitment plan. The club want at least one new full-back and a left-winger as a minimum, alongside the midfield reinforcements.
For Williams, the situation is finely balanced. Forest are trying to secure his future; bigger clubs are circling. United’s Champions League return gives them a powerful selling point, and their need for a dynamic right-back is obvious. The question is how hard they push, and how Forest respond if interest turns into a formal bid.
A squad built for a different level
United’s strategy this summer is not subtle. They are targeting depth and competition in almost every line: two or three midfielders, a full-back, a winger. Carrick wants options, not compromises.
Santos is done. Ederson is close, but under medical scrutiny. Kone sits on the list as a serious candidate if the conditions are right. Williams has been identified, with contact made and rival interest already in play.
The club have put themselves back among Europe’s elite for next season. Now comes the harder part: building a squad that looks like it belongs there every single week.
