Jamie Carragher: Man Utd Backed Wrong Midfielder

Manchester United have ripped up their midfield this summer, but Jamie Carragher is convinced they still got the big call wrong.

Michael Carrick has welcomed six new signings and landed what many see as a bargain in Youri Tielemans. Carragher, though, says United should have pushed the boat out for Mateus Fernandes instead – even at £85m.

Carragher: United blinked on Fernandes

Fernandes had been firmly on United’s radar earlier in the window. Spurs, though, went harder and agreed a guaranteed £85m fee with West Ham United. United walked away.

Carragher cannot understand it.

"I was a little bit worried when I saw United linked with Fernandes because I thought that could be a good signing," he said on The Overlap Fan Debate.

"I just looked at him and his age and was surprised United didn't go for Fernandes. They said it was too expensive but was it that expensive?

"I know £85m is a lot but you’re never going to get a really top midfielder now for £50m."

While Tottenham pushed through the deal, United pivoted. A proposed £43m move for Atalanta’s Ederson collapsed after a medical issue, and the club turned to Aston Villa, striking a £35m agreement for Tielemans. They also paid £50m to prise Andrey Santos from Chelsea as Carrick rebuilt the heart of his team.

On paper, it looks smart business. Carragher still believes they settled.

Tielemans move feels “the wrong way round”

Tielemans is no gamble. At 29, he has 244 Premier League appearances behind him, having arrived at Leicester City from Monaco in 2019 and then joined Villa on a free after Leicester’s relegation in 2023.

Carragher respects the player. What jars with him is the timing – and the trajectory.

"The thing with Tielemans, I was watching the Super Cup and I'd just seen that Man United were on ITV playing Leeds, so I put it on," he explained.

"It just came to me a little bit – Tielemans was taking a corner, and it come to me, he's a good player, don’t get me wrong.

"But you'd almost feel like he should have been at United a few years ago, then gone to Villa – not being at Villa, then gone to United.

"I'm not saying he's had his best days, but it almost felt like the wrong way round. The last three years should have been at United, and then he gets sold to Villa."

For Carragher, Fernandes fits the modern super-club signing: younger, pricier, with the potential ceiling to justify a huge fee. Tielemans, in his eyes, is a very good player arriving slightly late to the Old Trafford stage.

“Signing of the season” – the other verdict

Not everyone sees it that way. Inside the game, Tielemans’ £35m move has been hailed as one of the standout deals of the window.

John Obi Mikel was stunned by the price.

"For me, it's Youri Tielemans. Honestly... how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35million? That's a f****** steal," the former Chelsea midfielder said.

"I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player.

"Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a 10 and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy.

"He scores goals, he's dangerous from set pieces, he's brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he's not the quickest, but he reads the game so well.

"He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans."

Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster went just as strong.

"I still think Youri Tielemans is the signing of the summer so far. What a bit of business that is," he said.

"I’ve been watching the window so far - Tottenham and Arsenal spending a lot of money, but I still think Tielemans is the best signing.

"For £35million, he is a ready-made, good to go, starting 11 player and I think if you can spend that money on a starter, it is worth every single penny."

So the debate is set. Carrick has his man, Spurs have theirs, and the season will now decide the argument: did United land a steal, or did they flinch when it really mattered in the market?