Man Utd signed for £100m after losing Fernandes

It hasn’t been a very fruitful World Cup for the Manchester United midfielder, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on Michael Carrick and others next season.

Mason Mount – who is part of the England squad for Qatar in 2022 – was not on the radar this time, while Kobbie Mainoo is yet to get a kick despite being selected by Thomas Tuchel.

Tyler Fletcher, a late call-up to Steve Clarke’s squad, did not play a single minute in Scotland’s collapse, while substitute Ederson was used only as a right-back in Brazil, following his last call-up.

Elsewhere, Bruno Fernandes was forced to deal with an aging Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him, while Manuel Ugarte’s problems continued after suffering a serious injury in Uruguay’s final group game against Spain.

That defeat will boost United’s need to get in but could also hamper their hopes of recouping the South American, with midfield still a major area of ​​concern at Old Trafford.

Wilcox could be central to United’s midfield signings

The name of the title was not Mateus Fernandes, and despite the belief that the Portuguese would like to go to Manchester, it is Tottenham Hotspur who seem to have won the hot race.

The 21-year-old will not follow Ederson to become INEOS’s number two midfield signing, ensuring that other options will be needed.

As revealed by David Ornstein of The Athletic, Ugarte’s resignation should not prove a hindrance to any income, as INEOS was not dependent on sales to finance other income.

The man leading the negotiations at the club is Jason Wilcox, and the England man will have ‘great responsibility’ when it comes to all the ins and outs.

That report also notes that the transfer chief could be a key factor in United’s pursuit of Felix Nmecha, the German who moved up to Manchester City during Wilcox’s tenure at the Etihad.

Talks are believed to have been held with Borussia Dortmund over a potential deal for the 25-year-old, amid initial ‘questions’ talks, with the player certainly one of the options on the table this summer.

The former City man is said to be keen on a return to the Premier League, although whether any suitors match his reported £100m price tag remains to be seen.

How Nmecha compares to Mateus Fernandes

Perhaps it is not the best time to report interest in the German target, with Nmecha part of the squad that was sent off against Paraguay on Monday evening.

As that early exit shows, this is not a long-term outfit under Julian Nagelsmann, although Nmecha has at least caught the eye in all four games, opening the scoring with a thrilling finish against Curacao.

Before that appearance, Nagelsmann reportedly told the 6-foot-3 midfielder that he could be “the best player in the world” in his position, a sign of how much he is held in high esteem.

There could be fears of Jadon Sancho marking two if United were to sign the former Man City graduate from Dortmund, but that aside, Nmecha could be a strong addition to Carrick’s midfield.

At the age of 25, he is entering the peak of his powers, having enjoyed a strong season back in Germany with five goals and assists recorded in the Bundesliga.

That’s actually behind Fernandes’ aforementioned record of seven goals and assists for West Ham in the Premier League, although it’s Nmecha who comes out on top in a number of other metrics.

Indeed, what stands out most about the former Wolfsburg man is that he is an elite ball handler, almost Paul Pogba-like in the way he can pull his team up the pitch from deep.

According to ScoutLab, he ranks in the top 10% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for passing balls per 90, as well as the top 10% for productive dribbling and the top 13% for effective dribbling.

In comparison, Fernandes ranks in the top 31%, top 43% and top 34% in those three same metrics, respectively, so he’s clearly not smart about it.

Equally, it is Nmecha who also seems to have the most creative potential, improving the young man to get ‘big chances’ created in open play (0.12 vs 0.06), and 90 shots (1.36 vs 0.83).

He is a fearsome and powerful midfielder who could offer something to this United side that has not had in years, boasting a physicality that Fernandes will not be able to cope with.

With five years of Bundesliga experience behind him, as well as regular involvement in the Champions League, Nmecha knows what it takes to perform at the highest level.

Fernandes, only 21 years old, could still blossom into a true star of the future, although Nmecha might be a better, ready-made addition for the here and now.