Five central midfielders Manchester United could sign next summer

Manchester United signed both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen to boost their midfield over the summer, and both players have been in impressive form for the Red Devils this season.

There are likely to be midfield exits next year, though, with Fred potentially being allowed to leave on a free transfer, while Donny van de Beek could move on if he continues to struggle.

As a result, there is likely to be a big-money midfield addition next summer, with head coach Erik ten Hag looking to build a squad capable of challenging for the biggest prizes once again.

Here, Sports Mole looks at five central midfielders that the 20-time English champions could potentially sign in 2023.

Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

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One of the most in-demand footballers in world football, Jude Bellingham is widely expected to leave Borussia Dortmund during next summer's transfer window.

The midfielder has starred in the Bundesliga and Champions League for BVB this term, while he has been an important player for England at the 2022 World Cup.

A host of the biggest clubs in European football are said to be keen on the 19-year-old, with Dortmund thought to value him in the region of £129m.

A recent report claimed that Man United had dropped down the pecking order in terms of the interested clubs, with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City the three favourites.

However, if the 20-time English champions can secure a return to the Champions League for next season, then they should be firmly in the race for the former Birmingham City youngster.

Declan Rice (West Ham United)

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Declan Rice, speaking recently on England duty, appeared to suggest that he would be looking to leave West Ham United during next summer's transfer window, as he wants to challenge for the biggest prizes in the game.

The midfielder has been able to play European football over the last couple of seasons, competing in the Europa League last term and Europa Conference League during the current campaign, but he is unlikely to play Champions League football for the Hammers, not consistently anyway.

Rice's future is likely to depend on what happens with Bellingham, as the clubs that miss out on the latter could certainly turn to the former Chelsea youngster.

The 23-year-old has proved himself to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons, and it is not impossible to imagine him making the move to Old Trafford.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)

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Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was strongly linked with a move to Man United over the summer, and he is believed to have plenty of admirers at Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old impressed for Serbia at the Work Cup, finding the back of the net against Cameroon on November 28, while he has been in strong form for Lazio this season, scoring five goals and registering seven assists in 20 appearances in all competitions.

Milinkovic-Savic has scored 63 goals and registered 58 assists in 314 appearances for his Italian side, and it will be fascinating to see whether he moves on in 2023.

Whether he could exist in the same side as Bruno Fernandes is a question that Man United would need to answer before making a serious bid, but his form in Italy is difficult to ignore, and there will soon only be 18 months left to run on his current contract.

Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)

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Man United spent much of the summer transfer window chasing Frenkie de Jong, with Red Devils boss Ten Hag believed to have quickly identified him as his leading target.

The 25-year-old always insisted that he wanted to remain at Barcelona, though, and he has been an important player for the Catalan side this term, making 17 appearances in all competitions.

De Jong has also starred for the Netherlands at the World Cup, scoring once and providing one assist in four outings, with the country reaching the quarter-finals.

Barcelona still have financial problems, though, and it is believed that the club are still very much open to the idea of selling the midfielder in a big-money deal.

Man United are thought to be keeping a close eye on the situation, and it is possible that Ten Hag will again instruct the club to make a move during next summer's transfer window.

Enzo Fernandez (Benfica)

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Enzo Fernandez only made the move to Benfica from River Plate in July, but he has been in impressive form for the Portuguese giants this term, scoring three goals and contributing five assists in 24 appearances.

There has been a host of speculation surrounding his future in recent weeks, with Real Madrid believed to have joined Man United in the race for his signature.

The 21-year-old is currently with the Argentina squad at the World Cup, and he has provided one goal and one assist in three appearances for the South American nation.

There have been claims that Benfica would want £100m to let Fernandez leave next year, and it is difficult to imagine the Red Devils going anywhere near that transfer fee.

However, if the Argentine continues to put in strong performances, then it would not be a surprise to see him move on from Benfica in the near future.