According to transfer journalist Matteo Moretto, Manchester United have contacted Atlético Madrid about signing midfielder Pablo Barrios.

The 23-year-old began his youth career at Moratalaz and spent six years with Real Madrid. He enrolled in Los Rojiblancos’ academy at the age of 14.

After progressing through their development system, Barrios made his first-team debut in 2022. He started out as a rotational player before becoming a regular in the 2024/25 season.

However, the Spaniard suffered with fitness issues last season. After recovering from his injuries, he has had a strong start to the season, scoring two goals across all competitions.

Barrios even scored for Atlético Madrid in a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United earlier this month.

Now, on Marca’s La Pizarra de Quintana show, Moretto claims (via Metro) that after a dismal start to the season, Manchester United intend to fix their concerns next year in order to turn things around.

Despite overhauling the midfield with the purchases of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, and Carlos Baleba last summer, United are looking to add a new midfielder matching Barrios’ attributes.

Barrios to Manchester United

Michael Carrick’s team has already contacted Diego Simeone’s team to discuss the logistics of his signing. Apart from Barrios, United is interested in Fermin Lopez and has inquired about his availability.

Moretto said:

“Manchester United, a Premier League club, has a lot of issues to deal with and is searching for a midfielder with the traits of Barrios and Fermin. They’ve asked about both of them; there is no negotiation, just an inquiry.”

Transfermarkt values Barrios at roughly £58 million, and he still has a contract until 2030. As a result, Atlético Madrid is in no rush to sell him.

Barrios is a natural box-to-box midfielder who also excels as a deep-lying playmaker. He is speedy, technically sound, can play threading passes between the lines, has a keen eye for long-range passing, and makes effective defensive contributions.

The teenager is a skilled player and possesses high potential, so he might be a sensible acquisition for Manchester United if they sign him. However, it will be intriguing to watch whether the Old Trafford club eventually makes a serious move to grab his services.