Manchester United monitoring Eduardo Camavinga, but the Frenchman wants to stay at Real Madrid
Manchester United are considering Eduardo Camavinga as one of the most ambitious options for further strengthening their midfield, but a possible transfer is currently only at the assessment stage. According to information published by The Guardian on 23 July, the Old Trafford club have included the Real Madrid midfielder among the players they are monitoring during the summer transfer window, alongside Fulham's Sander Berge. As of 24 July 2026, Manchester United had not submitted an official offer for Camavinga, and there was also no confirmation that Real Madrid and the English club had opened direct negotiations. The biggest obstacle at this moment is not only the potential transfer fee, but also the position of the player himself, who wants to remain at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and fight for a more important role in the team. United's interest should therefore be viewed as part of a broader search for a midfielder rather than as a deal close to completion.
United looking for another midfielder after two major signings
The team managed by Michael Carrick already signed two midfielders during July. Manchester United confirmed on their official club website that Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea on 13 July, while Youri Tielemans signed the following day after a spell at Aston Villa. The Guardian reports that Santos cost £48 million and Tielemans £35 million, demonstrating that rebuilding the central area of the team is one of the priorities of the summer window. Despite those investments, Carrick's coaching staff and the sporting department are considering another reinforcement because Casemiro has left the club, while Manuel Ugarte could be sidelined for an extended period due to a knee ligament injury. United are therefore searching for a player who can cover the defensive midfield position while also contributing to ball progression, pressure on opponents and control of the tempo of matches.
Carrick took permanent charge of the first team after arriving as an interim solution in January 2026, and the club confirmed on 22 May that he had signed a contract as head coach. His connection with Manchester United dates back to his playing days, during which he made 464 appearances and won a series of the most important trophies. The position in the centre of the pitch was crucial throughout his career, so he is also expected to seek a balance between physical strength, technical security and tactical discipline when building the team. Santos brings energy and the ability to advance with the ball, while Tielemans offers experience, distribution and a threat from deeper positions. A third arrival would therefore not necessarily mean stockpiling players, but rather an attempt to compensate for departures and injuries and ensure enough high-quality options for a season containing a large number of matches.
Camavinga's current decision favours Real Madrid
According to the available information, Camavinga, who turned 23 in November 2025, does not want to leave Madrid. TEAMtalk, reporting comments by transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, stated that Manchester United representatives had spoken with the player's agents to determine whether a transfer was possible. The same source reports that the Frenchman maintained the same position throughout May, June and July: he wants to work under José Mourinho, remain at Real and re-establish his position in the team. Such an answer does not mean that circumstances cannot change before the end of the transfer window, but without the player's approval it is difficult to imagine any significant progress in negotiations. At present, there are no indications that Camavinga has requested a departure or that the club has officially asked him to find a new destination.
Real Madrid confirmed José Mourinho's return as first-team coach on 11 June 2026, with a contract running until 30 June 2029. The Portuguese coach joined the squad on 13 July, when preparations began, so the beginning of his second spell will also be important for the distribution of roles in midfield. Camavinga's desire to prove himself to the new coach therefore has clear sporting logic: pre-season gives him an opportunity to demonstrate directly how much he can offer in the system Mourinho intends to build. For Manchester United, this means that the decision on whether to make a concrete move will probably depend on signals coming from Madrid during preparations. If the Frenchman is given a clearly defined role, the possibility of his departure will decrease further; if he finds himself on the fringes of the plans, interest from Premier League clubs could become relevant again.
Real would listen to offers, but a long contract strengthens their position
According to The Guardian, Real Madrid could consider offers of between €50 million and €60 million, although Camavinga's contract contains a €1 billion release clause. An official announcement by the Madrid club confirms that the French international extended his contract in November 2023 until 30 June 2029, giving Real a very strong negotiating position. The club is therefore under no pressure to sell him because of an approaching contract expiry, and every decision can primarily be based on the sporting plan and an assessment of the offer's value. The mentioned range of €50 million to €60 million is not an officially announced price set by Real Madrid, but an amount appearing in media reports. It has also not been confirmed that Manchester United would be prepared to immediately reach that level after already investing in the transfers of Santos and Tielemans.
A potential sale has been linked in some media reports with Real's interest in Rodri, the Manchester City and Spain midfielder. However, that part of the story remains uncertain: according to a report by the Spanish newspaper AS on 24 July, Manchester City denied that talks had been held with Real Madrid regarding a transfer, while no official offer has been publicly confirmed. City's official announcement from 2022 states that Rodri's current contract runs until June 2027, so his status is at the centre of numerous rumours as he enters the final year of his contract. The claim that Real would sell Camavinga to make room for Rodri should therefore be treated as a possible scenario rather than an agreed plan. Until official negotiations begin or the Madrid club makes a clear decision, Camavinga's future remains a separate issue.
Statistics show an important but not fully guaranteed role
According to statistics on Real Madrid's official website, Camavinga made 43 appearances in all competitions during the 2025/26 season, scoring two goals and registering one assist in 2,198 minutes. In La Liga, he played 29 matches, starting 16 of them, and recorded 119 ball recoveries. Those figures show that he was not a marginal member of the squad, but also that he did not have a completely guaranteed place in the starting eleven. Real Madrid announced in January 2026 that the Frenchman had reached 200 appearances for the club, confirming how much experience he had accumulated even before his 24th birthday. Since arriving from Rennes in 2021, he has won 11 trophies with the Madrid club, including two Champions League titles, two world club titles and two Spanish league titles.
His appeal on the market comes from a combination of age, experience and tactical versatility. Camavinga can play as the deepest midfielder, in the so-called number-eight role, and he has also been used at left-back during his career at Real. He is capable of carrying the ball through pressure, covering large areas and accelerating transitions from defence to attack, making him attractive to teams that want to play more aggressively and with greater energy in midfield. At the same time, his performances have not always been equally consistent, while competition in Real's midfield remains extremely strong. His omission from France's squad for the 2026 World Cup, reported by the British media, further intensified the debate over whether he needs a more regular role to re-establish his status within the national team.
Sander Berge represents a more accessible and familiar option
Manchester United are simultaneously monitoring Sander Berge, Fulham's 28-year-old Norwegian midfielder. Unlike Camavinga, Berge has many years of experience in English football: he joined Sheffield United in 2020, moved to Burnley in 2023 and has been a Fulham player since August 2024. The London club announced at the time that he had signed a five-year contract until the summer of 2029, with an option to extend it for another season. Fulham describe him on their official website as a defensive midfielder who can also play slightly further forward in a number-eight role. The Guardian estimates that approximately £40 million could be required for his transfer, but there is no confirmation of an official offer in this case either.
Berge would represent a different profile from Camavinga for United. The Norwegian is physically stronger, knows the rhythm of the Premier League and should not require a lengthy period of adaptation to English football, while the Frenchman offers greater potential and experience of playing in the latter stages of Europe's biggest competitions. Berge represented Norway at the 2026 World Cup, including the 2-1 quarter-final defeat by England. However, his price and long contract with Fulham mean that the deal would be neither simple nor inexpensive. For United, the balance between the immediate need for a reliable solution and a long-term investment in a player capable of raising the team's ceiling will be important.
A broader shortlist shows that the club is not dependent on one transfer
Alongside Camavinga and Berge, The Guardian reports that Manchester United are monitoring Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Roma midfielder Manu Koné. Such a shortlist suggests that the club are not targeting only one name, but are comparing different profiles, prices and levels of availability. Camavinga would be the most high-profile and probably the most complex target, Berge a safer option with Premier League experience, while Scott and Koné offer other combinations of age, dynamism and development potential. The sporting department must also take into account a squad that already includes Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Ugarte, Santos and Tielemans. The arrival of another midfielder would need to have a clearly defined purpose so that Carrick could distribute minutes and maintain balance within the team.
From a financial perspective, United's decision will probably also depend on potential departures and an assessment of the length of Ugarte's recovery. The club have already spent a significant amount on two midfielders, so another major investment would have to be justified by both an immediate sporting need and the player's long-term value. Camavinga's contract until 2029 and his desire to stay reduce the possibility of a favourable agreement, while Fulham also have no contractual reason to sell Berge quickly. Negotiations, should they take place, could therefore continue into the later stages of the transfer window. At present, the most accurate assessment is that Manchester United are actively monitoring the situation but have not yet selected a final target or taken a step that would turn a transfer into an immediate possibility.
The key will be Camavinga's status after Mourinho's assessment
The next step in this story will primarily depend on Real Madrid and Camavinga. Mourinho is only beginning to shape the hierarchy within the squad, and pre-season matches and training sessions should show whether he sees the Frenchman as an important part of his first season after returning to Madrid. If he receives trust and a regular role, his publicly reported desire to stay will be strengthened further. However, if the possibility emerges that Real will sign another midfielder or the club clearly tells him that he is not among its priorities, Manchester United and other interested clubs could check the conditions again. Until then, the figures of €50 million to €60 million, the possible connection with Rodri and contacts with the player's representatives remain part of a transfer market in which no final decision has yet been made.
For United, it is important not to wait for only one outcome. The need for additional depth in midfield exists because of Casemiro's departure and Ugarte's injury, but the choice must fit Carrick's system and the club's financial framework. Camavinga would bring youth, winning experience and versatility, but his priority remains Real Madrid. Berge is a more realistic alternative, although Fulham have him tied to a long contract and are expected to demand a high transfer fee. Therefore, as of 24 July 2026, the story remains at the monitoring and assessment stage, without an official offer and without confirmation that either midfielder is close to arriving at Old Trafford.
Sources:
- The Guardian – information about Manchester United's interest in Camavinga and Berge, estimated transfer fees, Ugarte's injury and other candidates (link)
- Real Madrid – official confirmation of Camavinga's contract until 30 June 2029 (link)
- Real Madrid – official profile, statistics for the 2025/26 season and list of trophies won (link)
- Real Madrid – official announcement regarding Camavinga's 200th appearance and 11 trophies won with the club (link)
- Real Madrid – official confirmation of José Mourinho's appointment as coach until 2029 (link)
- Manchester United – Michael Carrick's official profile and confirmation of his appointment as head coach (link)
- Manchester United – official profiles and arrival dates of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans (link) (link)
- Fulham – Sander Berge's official profile, position description and contract duration (link)
- TEAMtalk – reported comments by Fabrizio Romano regarding contact with Camavinga's representatives and the player's desire to remain in Madrid (link)
- Manchester City – official confirmation that Rodri's contract runs until June 2027 (link)
- AS – report that Manchester City did not confirm contacts with Real Madrid regarding Rodri's transfer (link)