Manchester United invested heavily in rebuilding their midfield during the summer, but the early returns have left supporters questioning whether the club made the right decisions in the transfer market.

With Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba arriving to strengthen Michael Carrick’s options, expectations were high that United would finally address one of their most persistent weaknesses.

However, while Baleba has offered encouraging signs, the performances of the other new arrivals have struggled to inspire the same confidence, leaving Carrick under growing pressure to find a midfield combination that works.

The criticism Is particularly uncomfortable because Tielemans and Santos arrived at Old Trafford with reputations built at established clubs, where they had demonstrated qualities that convinced United to invest heavily in them.

Tielemans joined from Aston Villa after establishing himself as an experienced Premier League midfielder, while Santos arrived from Chelsea with considerable expectations surrounding his potential and ability to develop into a dependable presence.

Yet reputation alone cannot guarantee success at a club where the pressure to deliver is enormous.

Tielemans has faced criticism for his lack of mobility and defensive contribution, with his performance against Tottenham drawing particular scrutiny after he struggled to impose himself before being substituted.

Andrey Santos, meanwhile, has had limited opportunities to demonstrate his quality, meaning it would be premature to conclude that he has failed, although supporters will naturally expect a substantial investment to produce visible improvements.

The bigger concern Is that United’s midfield still appears vulnerable when opponents attack quickly, while the team has struggled to establish the control and consistency that should come with such significant recruitment.

That has intensified questions about whether Carrick’s signings were the right combination of players or whether the club prioritised individual reputations without sufficiently considering how they would complement one another.

Baleba’s presence could help address some of those concerns because United need greater physicality, mobility and defensive protection in the middle of the pitch.

However, one promising addition cannot solve every problem if the other midfielders fail to provide the balance and reliability the team requires.

For Carrick, the immediate challenge is to identify the right partnerships rather than continuing to select players based on their transfer fees or previous achievements.

Tielemans must show that he can cope with the physical demands of United’s midfield, while Santos needs opportunities to demonstrate why the club considered him worth such a substantial investment.

Both players also need to understand that patience from supporters will depend on visible progress, particularly when results remain disappointing and questions about the summer recruitment strategy continue to grow.

Nevertheless, it would be unfair to write either midfielder off after a difficult opening period, especially when adapting to a new team, tactical system and level of expectation can take time.

Carrick must take responsibility for helping his signings succeed, but the players themselves need to respond by improving their performances and showing that they can justify the faith placed in them.

United cannot afford another expensive recruitment exercise that produces little improvement on the pitch.

If Baleba continues to impress while Tielemans and Santos struggle to establish themselves, the debate over the club’s summer spending will only intensify.

Ultimately, the new midfielders must start delivering more than promising reputations and transfer-fee headlines, because at Manchester United, supporters expect investment to translate into better football and results.

Sources:

[The Guardian — Manchester United’s midfield struggles as fans voice frustration](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/20/manchester-uniteds-engine-room-runs-out-of-puff-as-fans-begin-to-voice-frustration?utm_source=chatgpt.com)