The marquee signing that many supporters expected has not arrived, with three players considered targets at one time or another - Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, and Mateus Fernandes - having moved elsewhere. A deal for Atlanta's Brazilian international Éderson collapsed after issues were raised during the first part of his medical. With less than a week to go before Manchester United open their Premier League campaign against Hull City, head coach Michael Carrick is set to pick his midfield from Santos, Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo.
Carrick has already spoken to Tielemans about what he expects from him, with the midfielder stating that he has a clear structure and wants to press in certain ways. However, United fans will hope that Tielemans can add physicality and athleticism to the midfield, which has been criticized for lacking these qualities in the past. Manchester United haven't ruled out signing a third midfielder, with several names being discussed, including Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Alex Scott.