Manchester United's midfield rebuilding plan is set, with two primary transfer targets emerging! Sir Alex Ferguson aims to sign them before the World Cup.

According to recent British media reports, Manchester United's plan to rebuild the midfield during the summer transfer window is beginning to take shape. Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United and Carlos Baleba from Brighton have emerged as the most likely new midfield candidates to join the Red Devils.

Sky Sports reports that Manchester United intends to bring Baleba into the squad before the World Cup kicks off. Last year, United hoped to sign this 22-year-old Cameroonian defensive midfielder but encountered a £120 million asking price, ultimately forcing them to abandon the pursuit, as the team's priority at that time was strengthening the forward line.

Baleba has privately expressed his desire to join Manchester United. Although his performance this season has been unsatisfactory, United is believed to still maintain interest in him. This is mainly because among all the players linked with the Red Devils, only Baleba is a genuine defensive midfielder, a No. 6 player, unlike others who lean more toward the No. 8 role.

Manchester United has confirmed the contract extension for 20-year-old English rising star Kobbie Mainoo, who is a No. 8 player. Therefore, if the team plans to focus on developing him in the future, they will need a defensive midfielder to pair with him. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano announced that United is close to completing contract extensions for Mainoo and Harry Maguire.

“There is preliminary confirmation regarding the new contracts for Maguire and Mainoo. Maguire's new deal is almost finalized, with a contract until 2027 and an option to extend until 2028. Negotiations for Mainoo's new long-term contract are also in the final stages, aiming to complete the signing before the end of this season. It is a five-year contract until June 2031, with improved wages and securing his key role in the team. Both sides are optimistic, and the extension is nearly complete. United views Mainoo's contract renewal as a top priority for future operations.”

With Mainoo's role confirmed, the double-pivot setup in a 4-2-3-1 formation must be tailored to his characteristics. Assuming a pairing of Mainoo with Tonali, with Bruno Fernandes ahead as the No. 10, the defensive capability of such a midfield trio is considered insufficient to withstand the attacks from Premier League top clubs.

Baleba's decline in form is a concern that cannot be ignored. However, Manchester United might be willing to take a risk on him to strive for balance between midfield attack and defense. United's correspondent Andy Mitten confirmed: “I do know that United continues to monitor Baleba.”

If United signs Baleba and Tonali, the two could not only form an ideal defensive midfield pairing but also partner with Mainoo depending on the opponent's strength and characteristics. Otherwise, when needing to strengthen midfield defense, Carrick or any new manager would have to rely on the unreliable Ugarte.

Among other candidates on United's list, Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is said to prefer joining Manchester City, the club he supported since childhood. Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton might be cheaper and his agent is based in Manchester, but his style is too similar to Mainoo's. Regarding Newcastle's Bruno Guimarães, the club would only sell either Tonali or Guimarães, not both.

It is reported that Newcastle prefers to sell the higher-valued Tonali to retain as much of their core squad as possible. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano mentioned United's contact with Guimarães: “Guimarães' agent had a meeting with United, that happened in recent weeks, absolutely true. United maintains a very good relationship with his agency, but there is still a long way to go.”