Manchester United Eyes Sander Berge Amid Midfield Market Chaos

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild is being dragged into a distorted market, and an old name is back on the table as a result.

With Elliot Anderson going to Manchester City for a staggering £116 million and Mateus Fernandes joining Tottenham Hotspur for £85m despite West Ham United’s relegation, United have stepped away from the frenzy. The club were keen on both, but refused to be drawn into what they view as wildly inflated fees.

So the search has widened. And Sander Berge is back in the frame.

Berge back in United’s sights

United have tracked the Norway international before. Scouts followed him closely during the 2023-24 season at Burnley, only to watch Fulham move first with a £25m deal. Now, as Berge impresses for Norway at the World Cup, his name has returned to the recruitment meetings at Old Trafford.

Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic’s Manchester United reporter, revealed on the Talk of the Devils podcast that Berge is again emerging as a live option.

“Sander Berge is an interesting one. He’s playing pretty well for Norway in the World Cup,” Whitwell said, noting United’s previous interest before his Fulham move. At 28, he is seen as a plug-and-play profile rather than a marquee signing. As Whitwell put it, Berge would not transform United on his own, but he would step straight into the side and cope with the demands at this level.

Any deal now would be significantly higher than the £25m Fulham paid. His World Cup form and Premier League reliability have changed the equation, and The Athletic’s transfer dealsheet notes that United, having “previously considered” Berge, could now reignite their pursuit.

Scott blocked, eyes on Tchouameni and Santos

Berge is not the only midfielder in the conversation.

Alex Scott of Bournemouth has emerged as Michael Carrick’s preferred choice in recent weeks, according to BBC Sport’s chief United correspondent Simon Stone. Carrick sees the 20-year-old as a long-term organiser of United’s midfield, but Bournemouth have taken a hard line. Both United and Arsenal have been told he is not for sale.

That stance has pushed United towards heavyweight alternatives. The Athletic report that the club are prepared to move for Aurelien Tchouameni and Andrey Santos if Scott proves unattainable.

Tchouameni’s situation hinges on one man: Jose Mourinho. Should the Real Madrid manager decide to cash in, United are ready to open talks over a deal for the €100m (£85m) France international. It would be a statement signing, the kind that reshapes a midfield overnight, but also one that commits INEOS to the very top end of the market they have so far tried to avoid.

Santos, meanwhile, represents a different type of opportunity. Chelsea’s Brazilian midfielder is attracting “firm interest” from INEOS, and the player is open to the move. A fee of around £50m is expected, though United have not yet opened formal discussions with Chelsea. At 20, Santos fits the profile of a project player with high upside, in contrast to Berge’s readymade reliability.

United walk away from Nmecha price

Not every name survives the new financial reality at Old Trafford.

Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund has also been assessed, but the numbers are prohibitive. Rated at €120m (£102.5m), the German midfielder sits well beyond what United are willing to sanction for his profile and experience. The report is clear: United are unlikely to act on their interest at that valuation.

So the picture is set. A market distorted by nine-figure moves, a club determined not to be dragged into every auction, and a shortlist that stretches from £50m prospects to £100m centrepieces.

Somewhere in the middle of that sits Sander Berge: 28 years old, World Cup sharp, Premier League tested, and, crucially, attainable.

If United decide this summer is about balance as much as brilliance, the Norway midfielder may find his name called at Old Trafford after all.