Manchester United are preparing for a major rebuild of their midfield this summer.

It has already been confirmed that Casemiro will leave the club at the end of the season upon the expiry of his contract. Manuel Ugarte is also likely to leave, following two poor seasons at Old Trafford.

United are likely to sign two, and possibly even three midfielders this summer if Ugarte does indeed depart.

Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson is said to top United's shortlist, although competition from Manchester City will complicate any potential deal. United have continued to monitor Carlos Baleba at Brighton and Hove Albion after making an attempt to sign him last summer. Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton have also been linked, although those moves seem to have less momentum at the time of writing.

With Elliot Anderson expected to cost up to potentially £120 million, United will need to find value in the market as they look to strengthen their midfield further.

Kees Smit is one of the biggest midfield talents in Europe right now and the Dutchman is almost certain to leave AZ Alkmaar this summer.

Smit is an all-action midfielder who excels in all phases of the game. He is great at dribbling past opponents and carrying forward under pressure. He is comfortable with both feet and has a very impressive passing range. Off the ball, he is a very good presser and is quite strong despite his size.

Because he has such a complete skillset, he can play in a variey of midfield roles. He can sit deep as a no.6 and dictate the tempo of games through his passing, although this does limit him slightly. His ball-carrying, ability to score goals and create chances in the final third means his best position is probaly as a no.8 or even as a no.10. He could be Bruno Fernandes' successor in the long-term.

Real Madrid and Newcastle are amongst the clubs that have been linked to Smit. There will undoubtedly be other top clubs closely following him, too. AZ Alkmaar will likely demand a fee in excess of £50 million.

AS Roma's Manu Koné is an exceptional midfielder who United should definitely be closely scouting ahead of the summer. 

Koné has a very techicnally gifted player. He is one of the best ball-carrying midfielders in Europe and is excellent under pressure. Off the ball, he covers a lot of ground and contests a large volume of duels.

His keenness to carry forward means he is probably best as a no.8, playing next to a no.6 who can sit deep and allow Koné to move forward. A pass-first midfielder is a profile United desperately need to add to their squad this summer.

Casemiro's passing from deeper areas is crucial to United's ability to progress the ball up the pitch, and the club will need to find someone who can replicate that. Koné isn't that player, but he certainly would benefit from playing next to someone of that profile.

With United set to compete in four competitions next season, squad-depth will be needed. In Koné and Kobbie Mainoo, United would have to excellent options for the no.8 position.

Exequiel Palacios has consistently been one of Bayer Leverkusen's best players since moving to Germany in January 2020.

As already mentioned, United need a pass-first midfielder, and Palacios fits the bill. So far this season in the Bundesliga, he averages nearly 100 passes per game and also wins the ball back quite a lot. He is an outstanding deep-lying playmaker. His ability to sit deep and dictate games would also allow Mainoo to roam in higher areas. 

Palacios is definitely not someone who would start every game. He has weaknesses, particularly in terms of his ability to win aerial duels. As United will lose Casemiro's aerial dominance, Mainoo's midfield partner will need to be able to replicate that to a certain level. Palacios, unfortunately, cannot.

Despite this, though, Palacios would give United something they don't currently have, and as the club become more dominant and start to control games more, Palacios and Mainoo could definitely work against lesser opposition.

For the right price, Palacios would be an excellent second or third midfield signing.

In the summer of 2024, United held talks around a deal for Sander Berge before eventually completing a transfer for Manuel Ugarte.

Given how the last two seasons have gone, choosing Ugarte ahead of Berge is a decision United will look back on with significant regret. Not only is Berge the better player, he also would've been significantly cheaper.

Berge has been a cornerstone of Marco Silva's Fulham side since moving to Craven Cottage in 2024. Berge is a no.6. He is a pass-first midfielder who can spray passes from deeper areas. The Norwegian also dominates in the air. He has won over 60% of his aerial duels this season in the Premier League. He is nowhere near as a dangerous from set-pieces as Casemiro is, but similarly to Palacios, he has qualities United could really benefit from.

As a second or third midfield signing, he would add depth to United's midfield and will likely not cost a major sum of money.

Valencia's Pepulu is another player with a lot of attributes that United don't currently have in midfield. His passing range is probably his strongest attribute. He is also a strong dueller, both in the air and on the ground. 

His passing range and the amount of defensive work he does would make him a solid partner for Kobbie Mainoo. His current deal at Valencia expires in 2028 meaning the Spanish club could look to cash in this summer.

Similarly to Berge and Palacios, Pepulu wouldn't start every game, but he'd add depth and variey to United's midfield options

United will need to be creative this summer, and all of these players would add a lot of quality to United's current midfield. United will want to compete on all fronts next season, and squad depth is therefore crucial. Not all of these players would be starters, but the variety of profiles would give the manager, whether that is Michael Carrick or someone else, all the necessary tools to work with.