José Mourinho’s arrival at Real Madrid is already altering the club’s recruitment narrative. According to reporting, the freshly appointed manager’s personal approach played a decisive role in Aurélien Tchouaméni choosing to extend his stay in the Spanish capital rather than move to Manchester United.

Florentino Pérez is understood to have prioritised a hard-edged presence in the dugout, and Mourinho’s appointment was part of that public strategy. In conversations with the 26-year-old, Mourinho made clear how central he would be to the project, hailing the uncertain star as a “key player,” according to ESPN. That exchange has been described as “key” to persuading the midfielder to remain.

Fabrizio Romano has added context, saying the Portuguese coach views Tchouaméni as one of his “fighters with a top mentality.” Mourinho’s method of assembling squads of proven battlers is familiar from earlier spells at Porto, Chelsea and Inter, where former players often spoke of a siege mentality forged by the coach.

Tchouaméni’s temperament fits that model. The player is presented as determined and methodical, someone who studies other elite teams and athletes to learn their routines, including New Zealand’s All Blacks and leading NBA figures. The midfielder frequently repeats a guiding slogan: “Get up every day and be better than yesterday,” which underlines his focus on continual improvement.

Beyond Mourinho’s persuasion, the financial terms on offer at Real also mattered. Early reports outlined an eye-watering rise to an annual net salary of $14.8 million (€13 million), though AS has since reported Tchouaméni will earn in the region of $10.3 million (€9 million) per season.

Between the manager’s direct appeal and the package presented by the club, the combination is credited with swinging the decision in Real Madrid’s favour.

Manchester United have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Andrey Santos in a package reported at $66.9 million (£50 million). The deal is understood to be an initial $64.3 million with a further $2.7 million available in add-ons described as “achievable”. Chelsea will also receive 10% of any profit United make on a future sale.

The transfer offers short-term cover to a midfield picture that has been a concern all summer. Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury is likely to keep him sidelined for the majority of the 2026–27 season. With Casemiro gone, Kobbie Mainoo is left as the only senior central midfielder to operate behind Bruno Fernandes. Santos, who only broke into the Chelsea team when his former Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior briefly took charge last season, provides additional depth but not a finished solution.

Éderson has been stuck in transfer limbo for weeks. The Atalanta midfielder remains technically at his club despite reports that he struck a deal with United worth around $52 million at the start of June. An emergency call-up to Brazil’s World Cup roster delayed any official announcement. Following a premature exit in the round of 16, Éderson is now set to undergo a second medical at Manchester United. Unless he took a deceptively severe battering during his two substitute appearances in the U.S., the healthy 27-year-old is expected to be unveiled in the coming days.

Even so, United’s recruitment so far looks incremental rather than transformative. Éderson and Santos can add a serrated edge to the base of Michael Carrick’s new-look midfield, yet neither fits the profile of the marquee signing the club sought. After losing out in the races for Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, United’s search continues. The Athletic reports the club always planned to add three midfielders. That quest has reportedly led to Aurélien Tchouaméni, though The Telegraph says United harbor doubts about the size of the fee required to prise him from Real Madrid. Already this summer, the Red Devils have shown reluctance to match the fees Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have spent on midfield reinforcements.

Michael Carrick begins his first full season as Manchester United manager with an ambitious mandate after being handed a two-year contract to become the club’s permanent manager.

Carrick used the club’s official yearbook to set out clear targets, insisting the squad can challenge across competitions. “We know we’ve got what it takes to beat the best teams in this league,” Carrick wrote in a message to fans included in the club’s official yearbook . “Now it’s about doing that over a full Premier League campaign, while also fighting for every trophy available to us.

“We’ve got a fantastic group of players, and we believe they have the required standards of talent, commitment and determination to be successful here. They love being at the club, and we can see how badly they want it; that gives us the confidence to know we’re really building something and moving in the right direction.

“I cannot wait to lead the group forward next season and for those special European nights to return to Old Trafford. We are ready to kick on and give you more of the great moments that United are all about.”

The interim period that secured Carrick the job was striking. No Premier League team won more games than United’s 12 ever since Carrick replaced Amorim in the dugout. They lost only two of the 17 games Carrick managed in 2025–26, and no Premier League team scored more goals than their 33 during that span. United sat sixth in the standings when Amorim left the club and secured Champions League qualification with two games to spare under Carrick.

Carrick also reflected on the approach he and his staff took on returning to the dressing room. “During the first few days after I returned to the club, myself and the coaching staff talked to the players about the huge opportunity we all have to represent Manchester United, which means so much to so many people, and the importance of embracing the challenge of playing for our club. The players certainly did that and more, and we can be really proud of the progress the group has made over the last few months.

“We know that we need to keep improving. We have a huge responsibility here to win and play exciting football. That never changes, and we should always be striving to compete for the biggest trophies. There are steps to take, but we are in a good place to take them.”

Carrick has warned work remains in the summer transfer window. Casemiro appears bound for Inter Miami, a deal is in its final stages with Atalanta for Éderson, and United have been linked with Aurélien Tchouaméni, Alex Scott and Andrey Santos after missing out on Mateus Fernandes.