Manchester United’s midfield is starting to look like a traffic jam of expensive talent 😭🔴, and Andrey Santos could be the player caught in the middle.
United invested heavily in midfield this summer, bringing in Santos and Youri Tielemans before completing the signing of Carlos Baleba from Brighton in a deal worth up to £70 million.
The big question now is simple:
WHY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON THESE PLAYERS IF THERE ISN’T GOING TO BE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THEM? 🤔💰
Santos is already fighting for minutes, while Kobbie Mainoo has also pushed himself back into the picture with some impressive performances. Mainoo has been praised for his passing, composure and ability to control the tempo, making his place in Carrick’s midfield increasingly difficult to ignore.
And then there is Carlos Baleba… 😭🔥
The Cameroonian midfielder has not even made his competitive debut for United yet because of an ankle injury. Carrick initially expected him to be sidelined for around three weeks, and the latest reports indicate that his return is being targeted after the international break.
Imagine when Baleba finally walks back into the squad. 👀
Who is coming out?
If Mainoo continues performing…
If Tielemans keeps showing his quality…
If Baleba is brought in to provide the physicality and defensive presence United bought him for…
WHERE DOES ANDREY SANTOS FIT? 😭😭
This is where the £48m-plus investment in Santos becomes a fascinating situation.
You simply cannot spend huge money on a young midfielder and expect him to be happy sitting on the bench every week. He needs minutes. He needs responsibility. He needs opportunities to prove why United were willing to invest so heavily in him. 🇧🇷🔥
But at the same time, Baleba was not signed for £70m to watch games from the sidelines either. 😭💀
United now have a serious midfield selection battle on their hands.
And honestly, this could be one of the biggest tactical puzzles for Michael Carrick this season. 🧩🔴
The good news is that United finally have genuine competition in midfield. The Champions League, Premier League and domestic competitions will provide plenty of matches, meaning rotation should eventually become necessary.
But when everyone is fit and Carrick has to choose his strongest XI?
Mainoo. Santos. Baleba. Tielemans.
Four quality options fighting for limited positions. 😮💨🔥
Maybe the answer isn’t simply “who gets benched?”
Maybe the real question is:
CAN CARRICK FIND A SYSTEM THAT GETS THE BEST OUT OF MORE THAN ONE OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME? 👀
Because if he can, United could have one of the most exciting young midfield groups in the Premier League.
But if he can’t…
Someone is going to spend a LOT of time watching football from the bench. 😭😂
And for Andrey Santos, that competition could become even tougher once Baleba finally returns.
RED DEVILS, BE HONEST 👇🏽🔴
When Carlos Baleba is fully fit, WHO SHOULD LOSE HIS STARTING SPOT? 🤔
🔥 Kobbie Mainoo
🔥 Andrey Santos
🔥 Youri Tielemans
🔥 Or should Carrick change the system and find room for them?
THIS MIDFIELD BATTLE IS ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS! 😭🔥
#ManchesterUnited #MUFC #GGMU #AndreySantos #CarlosBaleba #KobbieMainoo #YouriTielemans #ManUnited #PremierLeague #RedDevils
