Hargreaves Questions Manchester United’s Transfer Decisions, Says Club Should Have Prioritized Midfield Signing

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has expressed disappointment over his former club’s summer transfer strategy, suggesting that a central midfielder should have been their top priority instead of adding more attacking players.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Hargreaves argued that United’s decision to sign forwards such as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Šeško without addressing their long-standing midfield imbalance has only deepened the club’s tactical confusion.

“Bruno [Fernandes] is their best player by a country mile, and then they go and sign two No. 10s to play in his position,” Hargreaves said. “Now he has to play deeper, almost as a defensive midfielder. I understand the desire for more goals, but what they needed was control and balance.”

United, who showed interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba earlier in the summer, failed to secure his signature before the window closed. Instead, they bolstered their attack and brought in goalkeeper Senne Lammens, a move that has left critics questioning their long-term planning.

Hargreaves went further to suggest that with the right midfielder, United could have maximized Fernandes’ creative power while maintaining stability in the middle of the park.
“So why didn’t you just sign a central midfield player and let Bruno do his thing with Cunha? Then a goalkeeper. It would have fixed a lot of issues,” he added.

⚽ Opinion: United’s Summer of Missed Priorities — A Familiar Story

Hargreaves’ comments strike at the heart of Manchester United’s recurring problem — a lack of coherent planning in the transfer market. Year after year, the Red Devils make exciting signings on paper, but too often they feel like pieces from different puzzles.

While fans were thrilled by the arrivals of attacking talents like Cunha and Šeško, the midfield void remains glaring. United’s struggles in transition, their inability to control games, and the overreliance on Bruno Fernandes to do everything — from creating to defending — highlight a deeper issue than just personnel: it’s about balance and vision.

Football in the modern era is built around midfield control. Teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, and even Newcastle have thrived because of their stability in the center of the pitch. United, on the other hand, continue to build from the wings inward rather than from the spine outward.

If anything, Hargreaves’ critique isn’t nostalgia — it’s realism. Manchester United don’t need more flair; they need structure. And until that’s addressed, the club may continue to look like a team of stars without a system to unite them.