Manchester United are back in the promised land of the Champions League, although that will count for little if the club don't actually kick on and thrive in the competition next season.

Only once since 2014 have United reached the quarter-final stage, so often celebrating qualification yet ultimately wilting when push comes to shove.

In 2020/21 and 2023/24, for instance, the Red Devils didn't even make it out of the group stage, the latter of those having been particularly disastrous for Andre Onana and co.

To avoid a repeat showing in 2026/27, INEOS need to seek out adequate reinforcement, not least in the midfield department.

Man Utd handed boost in race to sign Carlos Baleba alternative

United's decision to pep up the forward line last summer has certainly paid off, with Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo scoring 29 Premier League goals between them following their respective arrivals.

The Old Trafford hierarchy went top-heavy, however, leaving both Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick desperately short on midfield depth, albeit while having come close to adding Carlos Baleba to the party at one stage.

Personal terms were reportedly agreed with the Cameroonian, although Brighton and Hove Albion's £100m plus price tag proved prohibitive, with the 22-year-old since enduring something of a decline following a difficult campaign with the Seagulls.

United may now have turned their attention elsewhere, if reports are to be believed, with journalist Ben Jacobs reporting that talks have been held for weeks now regarding a move for West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes.

Encouragingly, according to Jacobs, the Portuguese sensation is said to be keen on joining the Red Devils next season, following discussions with his representatives.

Any deal is likely to rest on whether the Hammers can secure their top-flight safety or not, while prior reports have claimed that the east London side could demand a fee of around €75m (£64m).

Why Fernandes would be a better signing than Baleba for Man Utd

Whether the two are linked or not, it is a worrying coincidence that Baleba's form has tailed off following those links to United, with the mere notion of joining the club having appeared to unsettle him.

In the first seven games of the season, he was substituted at half-time on three occasions, while he has only started 21 top-flight games to date, a significant decline from his 31 starts in 2024/25.

Where once he looked like a £100m player, the ex-Lille man has been overshadowed by other bright lights in the Premier League, that man Fernandes included.

While the young West Ham starlet may be a different profile of midfielder, having typically operated in a more advanced role to date, he has flourished in a midfield two alongside Tomas Soucek in recent weeks.

Described as a "massive talent" in the past by analyst Ben Mattinson, during his time on loan at Estoril from Sporting CP, Fernandes has been a star attraction in a difficult season at the London Stadium, part of an exciting trio alongside Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen.

Signed from relegated Southampton last summer on a £42m deal, the 21-year-old has since racked up six goals and assists in the Premier League this time around, while averaging an impressive one key pass per game.

For comparison, Baleba hasn't scored or assisted at all season, while averaging just 0.2 key passes, hardly offering much in an attacking sense even while operating in a deep-lying role.

At a time when United need to fill the void left behind by the free-scoring Casemiro, now up to nine for the campaign, that doesn't exactly bode well, with Fernandes also edging it with regard to pass accuracy too (88% vs 86%).

Out of possession too, the West Ham man appears to have the edge, following his switch to a box-to-box role under Nuno Espirito Santo, having averaged 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game, alongside 5.1 ball recoveries per game.

That is a significant improvement on Baleba's own return, with the left-footer averaging just 2.0 and 3.0 for those same two metrics, respectively, albeit while having averaged 3.7 and 5.3 last time around.

That perhaps points to a mere dip for Moises Caicedo's successor at the Amex, although it's hard to argue that Fernandes is now the player on the up, with his versatility also an attractive quality at a time when the Red Devils need to plug more than one midfield hole.

He's already been given the blessing of his compatriot, Bruno Fernandes, by all accounts, with this no doubt a deal to keep an eye on as the summer progresses.