Manchester United transfer news as United decide against strengthening one of the worrying positions in Ruben Amorim’s squadCarlos BalebaCarlos Baleba(Image: PA)

Manchester United splashed over £210million on their summer transfer business but failed to bring in a new midfielder. After recording their worst season in 51 years, the Reds opted to prioritise their attack.

Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko were all brought in for big-money before the Premier League season began. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was the final arrival on deadline day to become the fourth senior goalkeeper at the club.

The Manchester Evening News understands that United did not consider strengthening their midfield as a priority in the summer. It’s believed that the midfield was not at the top of their to-do list due to the options at the club viewed as strong and versatile.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s £100m valuation of Carlos Baleba meant United’s interest in the Cameroon international never materialised. Atalanta’s Ederson, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and Corentin Tolisso were all also linked but United stood firm on other targets.

As a result, Amorim will have to make do with his options, for the first-half of the season at the very least. However, if they are desperate to add a new face to their midfield, they have the option of turning to the free agent market.

Following the turnover of players in the summer, many players are still without clubs and are able to be signed. Former United star Christian Eriksen remains available after the expiry of his contract at Old Trafford.

29-year-old Josh Brownhill reportedly turned down a move to Wolves late in the window and is still without a club. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is yet to find a new team after leaving Besiktas.

Oriol Romeu left Barcelona in the summer and is available alongside former Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko. Josh Dasilva carries Premier League experience after departing Brentford in June.

It remains to be seen whether United will even consider dipping into the free agent market but there are options if they decide to do so.

Get United transfer news and updates on WhatsApp!

Our team of Manchester United experts are on top of all the goings-on at Old Trafford for this week and beyond, and you can get the latest team news, injury updates, reaction and analysis along with inside information to your phone by joining our new free WhatsApp community. You can also join the 50,000 (and growing!) band of United fans who are following our WhatsApp Channel.

Sign up to our community here, and join our WhatsApp channel here.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.

And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.