Manchester United pursuing Camavinga amid Real Mad...

By Priya Nair — 23 July 2026 — 3 min read

Manchester United’s Midfield Pursuit

Manchester United is reportedly targeting Eduardo Camavinga, among other midfielders, as the club seeks to strengthen its squad. The club has been tracking Real Madrid duo Aurélien Tchouaméni and Camavinga for some time. United’s search for a third midfielder has led them to consider various options, though they are reportedly not willing to overspend on any player.

Reports indicate that United had conversations with Camavinga’s agents to understand his situation. This follows similar discussions with the agents of AS Roma midfielder Manu Koné. The club is actively looking for a defensive midfielder to cap off their rebuild in the position.

Camavinga’s Stance and Real Madrid’s Position

Despite interest from Manchester United and other clubs, Eduardo Camavinga reportedly wishes to remain at Real Madrid. According to football journalist Fabrizio Romano, Camavinga wants to stay and compete for his place at the club. He is said to be confident in his ability to impress manager José Mourinho and revive his career at Real Madrid.

Camavinga’s message, consistently conveyed over several months, is that he wants to work under Mourinho and stay at Real Madrid. However, it is not clear whether Mourinho intends to keep the midfielder. If Real Madrid decides to offload Camavinga, the Premier League could become a potential destination, with United emerging as a frontrunner.

While Camavinga prefers to stay, there are conflicting reports regarding Real Madrid’s intentions. One update suggests that Real Madrid might be open to selling Camavinga to create space in their squad, possibly for Rodri. Real Madrid has already signed Bernardo Silva and could reunite him with his former Manchester City teammate Rodri at Mourinho’s request.

Real Madrid is reportedly open to selling Camavinga for a fee between €50-60m (£42-51m). However, Romano stated that Real Madrid is unlikely to make a decision on Camavinga’s future until closer to the transfer deadline.

Other Midfield Targets for United

Manchester United has reportedly narrowed its midfield shortlist to three players, including Eduardo Camavinga, Sander Berge, and Manu Koné. This comes after previous attempts to sign Aurélien Tchouaméni and Alex Scott did not materialize.

United had earmarked Tchouaméni as a top target, but reports on his availability are mixed. While some claims suggest Real Madrid might sell Tchouaméni, Fabrizio Romano indicates that Madrid has rejected United’s approaches, intending to keep the player by finalizing a new contract.

United also approached Bournemouth star Alex Scott, who reportedly rejected a new deal from his club. However, Bournemouth maintains that Scott is not for sale this summer. These developments have led to Camavinga, Berge, and Koné becoming targets for Michael Carrick’s side.

Among these three, INEOS appears particularly interested in Camavinga and Fulham’s Berge. United has a long-standing interest in Berge, having monitored his performances at Sheffield United and later Burnley. Berge is reportedly available for £40m.

For Manu Koné, United chiefs reportedly made contact with Roma. An update from an Italian outlet suggests that the Red Devils have agreed personal terms with Koné. United is reportedly preparing an initial bid of €50m/£42m, while Roma is holding out for €60m/£51m.

United has already bolstered its midfield this summer with the additions of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, spending a combined £85m on the pair.