Manchester United Target Martin Baturina for Midfield Rebuild
Manchester United’s midfield rebuild is gathering pace – and the next name on Michael Carrick’s list is a Croatia international who has already lit up the World Cup and forced Como to slam the door on a £43million bid.
Martin Baturina, the 23-year-old playmaker who ripped a stunning equaliser past Jordan Pickford in Croatia’s World Cup opener against England, has emerged as a serious target as United reshape the heart of their team.
Carrick’s new engine room takes shape
United’s intentions this summer are clear. Casemiro has gone, the old guard in midfield is being dismantled, and Carrick wants a younger, more dynamic core to carry his first full season in charge.
A deal for Atalanta’s Ederson is close to being rubber-stamped, with the Brazilian lined up as a key pillar of the new-look engine room. But Carrick and the United hierarchy do not see that as enough. With Manuel Ugarte heading for a reunion with Ruben Amorim at AC Milan and several other targets drifting elsewhere, the club is pushing hard for at least one more major addition in the middle of the park.
United have cooled on the idea of going toe-to-toe with Manchester City for Elliot Anderson, while Sandro Tonali is now tracking towards City, Arsenal or even Tottenham. Interest in West Ham and Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes remains firm, though Spurs are hovering over that deal as well.
So United have shifted their gaze to Lake Como – and to a player whose profile ticks several of Carrick’s boxes at once.
Baturina catches Europe’s eye
Baturina’s World Cup strike against England did more than briefly silence a partisan crowd. It underlined what scouts across Europe have been reporting for months: this is a midfielder with the technique to unlock games and the nerve to do it on the biggest stage.
Cutting in and unleashing a vicious, curling drive beyond Pickford to haul Croatia level, he offered a snapshot of the range that has made him one of Serie A’s most intriguing emerging talents. England eventually pulled away in the second half, but Baturina had already left his mark.
His club form has been just as compelling. Signed from Dinamo Zagreb for £22m last summer, he became a central figure in a historic season for Como, helping Cesc Fabregas’ side qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
Eight goals and four assists tell only part of the story. Baturina shifted between roles, splitting his appearances between attacking midfield and the left flank, drifting into pockets, linking play and carrying a consistent threat in the final third. That blend of versatility and end product is exactly what has drawn United – and others – to his door.
Como stand firm – for now
Interest in Baturina is no longer a whisper. According to reports in Italy, United and Aston Villa are among a group of elite clubs tracking him closely, while Bayern Munich have already asked the question about his availability.
They were not alone. An unnamed club tested Como’s resolve with a £43m offer, which the Italian side rejected. For the moment, Fabregas and the Como hierarchy want to keep their jewel, fully aware that his value and importance to a Champions League campaign are only rising.
United, though, see an opportunity. Baturina offers something they badly need: a player who can operate as an advanced midfielder, slide wide to the left when required, and still deliver numbers in front of goal. In Carrick’s evolving system, that flexibility is gold.
Rashford future shapes United’s move
The left side of United’s attack is under review. Marcus Rashford, once the untouchable face of the project, is now edging towards the exit. The club have reportedly reduced their asking price to accelerate a sale, even as Old Trafford legend Rio Ferdinand has urged them to reconsider and make a U-turn on the decision to let him go.
If Rashford does depart, the need for a player who can threaten from that flank as well as operate centrally becomes urgent. Baturina fits that profile. He is not a like-for-like replacement, but he offers Carrick tactical options that could reshape how United build attacks and press from the front.
For now, Como are resisting. United are circling. Bayern and others are watching.
The next move will say plenty about how serious Manchester United are about backing Carrick’s vision – and about how long a club like Como can hold on when Europe’s heavyweights come calling.
