Man Utd's most difficult transfer decision is their most important this summer (2024)

It is late in the day on deadline day and Manchester United supporters' focus is elsewhere.

Instead, they are witnessing a truly astonishing conclusion at Molineux. After squandering a 3-1 lead five minutes into nine that have been added on, United are staring down the barrel at yet another inquest.

Kobbie Mainoo, however, has different ideas. Making just his eighth Premier League start, he pulls something out of the bag and scores his first Premier League goal. It is a moment of brilliance.

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Just over five months after that last-gasp winner in the Black County, the 19-year-old is now a nailed on starter for England in a European Championship final. The Three Lions face Spain in Berlin on Sunday night and he should be the first name on the teamsheet.

After being overlooked by Gareth Southgate for each of England's three group games, Mainoo got the nod once the important business started, earning a start against Slovakia in the last-16. After helping the Three Lions limp through that game and then the quarter-final against Switzerland, he was at the centre of their semi-final triumph against the Netherlands on Wednesday night.

England produced their best performance of the tournament so far in Dortmund, coming from behind to reach a second successive European Championship final. Mainoo was at the heart of an unforgettable evening, producing the kind of performance United fans have become so used to seeing week-in, week-out.

Oozing class in possession with his ability to receive the ball on the half turn and advance, his progressive runs also brought out the best version of Phil Foden. The Stockport lads were by far England's biggest threats.

As well as being typically classy with the ball, Mainoo also showed terrific discipline and awareness without it. He won countless second balls and forced Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman into a tactical rejig.

Partnered with Declan Rice, who United were keen on signing for several years, Mainoo was able to advance with the ball with the knowledge that his midfield colleague would take care of any potential counter-attacks. It was argued long before the tournament that Rice and Mainoo could form England's best partnership in the engine room.

Rice's game at Arsenal has evolved under Mikel Arteta over the past 12 months, so much so he is not confined to defensive-midfield duties; he has expressed a desire to get forward, highlighted by his tally of nine goals and seven assists in his debut season in north London.

Nevertheless, he still has enough defensive awareness and the ability to fulfil the duty of a midfield anchor. The base of United's midfield, of course, has been an issue for more than a decade.

They thought they had finally solved it with the signing of Casemiro from Real Madrid in August 2022, but his second season at Old Trafford was a reminder that he was nothing more than a short-term fix. United need to source a long-term successor for him this summer to complete their midfield.

Ahead of the forthcoming campaign, Bruno Fernandes and Mainoo are guaranteed starters in the engine room. Fernandes is United's architect-in-chief and the club should be aspiring to build their entire starting XI around Mainoo.

But completing their first-choice midfielder rests on finding a world-class destroyer, and it could represent their sternest challenge between now and the end of the transfer window. United, for all of their work to strengthen the heart of the defence, need to ensure they have a world-class anchor sitting in front of it.

Casemiro regressed at an alarming rate last season and needs replacing with a younger operator. Benfica's Joao Neves has been the talk of the town in recent months, but Paris Saint-Germain's Manuel Ugarte is now looking like a more realistic candidate to complete United's midfield.

United, of course, are pressing ahead with deals for Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee, meaning deals for those two will significantly eat into their budget. They need to sell players to generate further funds and bolster other areas of the squad in need of attention.

While there is no denying United need to strengthen at centre-back, their need for a world-class destroyer is arguably greater. It has been a problem position for far too long.

Mainoo is United's future and finding him a world-class partner will only increase his chances of creating more moments like the one he produced at Molineux in February. It's a transfer mission they cannot afford to get wrong.

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