Manchester United could have found a relatively affordable midfield solution had they been bold enough to pluck Shea Charles from the Championship.

The Red Devils made three summer additions to their engine room to the tune of €173 million, yet they still have major issues in that area of the pitch. With Carlos Baleba out injured, Kobbie Mainoo has primarily played with Youri Tielemans to start the season, and it just hasn't worked.

The two are too similar to play together and get easily overrun, while head coach Michael Carrick has barely used Andrey Santos. Baleba is now fit again and expected to play a key role, but it remains to be seen if he alone can fix the club's midfield issues.

The €75.9m signing didn't have a great final season at Brighton after having his head turned by Man Utd last year, so there are question marks over whether he can make the step up. The weight of expectation is massive.

Results are desperately needed after the club's worst start to a season in 40 years, starting with today's must-win fixture against rivals Leeds. There is a serious risk of Man Utd being overwhelmed at Elland Road by Daniel Farke's physical side.

Could Charles have fixed Man Utd's midfield?

Speaking to Sky Sports (via TEAMtalk) after Fulham's 1-0 win over Hull City, Tim Sherwood suggested that Cottagers midfielder Shea Charles could be an ideal player for Man Utd.

The former Tottenham boss was hugely impressed by the 22-year-old's performance and described him as a "Rolls-Royce" after he helped Fulham secure their first victory of the Premier League season.

"Charles is a Rolls-Royce of a midfielder," Sherwood said. "You know, you talk about big teams like Manchester United needing legs in midfield - this boy drives with the ball. He has got real ability, real good ability."

At €30.4m, Charles was significantly cheaper than any of the signings Man Utd made this summer. The Red Devils opted to go for Premier League experience instead of taking a gamble on a youngster from the Championship.

The Northern Ireland international joined Fulham from Southampton. Ironically, it was Man Utd director Jason Wilcox who signed him for the Saints from Man City's academy, where he had previously worked, in 2023.

After spending a year on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, Charles made 38 appearances on the South Coast last season, bagging six goals and providing a pair of assists.

According to data analytics firm SciSports, the 22-year-old has been on a steady upward trajectory in his development over the past 12 months. He hasn't made a great leap, but he has gradually improved.

However, it is worth noting that just because he is now starring in a poor Fulham team doesn't automatically mean that he could single-handedly solve Man Utd's midfield problems.

SciSports believes that Charles isn't yet at the level to be an upgrade on Man Utd's current options. It is thought that he could eventually become as good as Tielemans, but he hasn't reached that point yet.

In hindsight, though, and considering his potential, he could have been a gamble worth taking for just €30m. He could hardly have been any worse than Carrick's current crop of players.