Manchester United are plotting a swoop to sign Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, according to talkSPORT.
Despite heavy spending during the summer to secure Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Šeško, Manchester United were still left clearly short in central midfield, a weakness the hierarchy are determined to address when the winter transfer window arrives.
A midfield addition in 2026 now feels inevitable, potentially more than one, yet uncertainty remains over whether INEOS will kick-start the overhaul in January or postpone action until the summer, with multiple candidates already emerging in recent weeks.
The latest to be linked with a move to the club is Bournemouth’s in-form midfielder Adams, according to talkSPORT, which claims that the Red Devils are monitoring the 26-year-old over a potential transfer to Old Trafford in 2026.
Ruben Amorim’s side have previously been linked with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, but the heavy valuation on the trio has now led the club to turn their attention to other alternatives, with Adams now eyed, according to the report.
This report was further confirmed by the Daily Mail, which claimed the 13-time Premier League champions have held internal conversations regarding a potential move for the USMNT international who is valued at £40m and considered a cheaper alternative to their other midfield targets.
Alternative
United’s recent 4-4 draw against Bournemouth highlighted their lack of defensive solidity, especially in midfield, where Casemiro was culpable for several of the Cherries’ turnovers and transitions.
The former RB Leipzig and Leeds United star is one of the most athletic defensive midfielders in the league and also possesses immense technical qualities, as evidenced by his remarkable goal against Sunderland last month, where he scored from the halfway line.
Based on FotMob data, he sits in the 86th percentile among central midfielders for defensive work and the 62nd percentile for success in aerial contests. Across the Premier League this campaign, only Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo has registered a higher number of interceptions, underlining why United’s interest makes sense.
With the report stating that Adams is being monitored as an alternative to the likes of Anderson and Baleba, it’ll be interesting to see if United will go ahead to match Bournemouth’s £40m valuation in January or wait till next summer to sign their key targets.
