Manchester United upgraded their midfield with Christian Eriksen and Casemiro in the summer but they missed out on their main target.
Frenkie de Jong was linked with a move to Old Trafford throughout the summer and was Erik ten Hag's top target but a transfer never materialised. This was mainly due to the Dutch midfielder's desire to stay at his 'dream club' Barcelona.
This stance is unlikely to change and with Sergio Busquets future at the Nou Camp in doubt, he may finally get the game time he has been asking for as well. So United must look for other options in the market.
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Jude Bellingham has been heavily linked with a move to United, alongside every other top club in Europe after his performances with Borussia Dortmund and at the World Cup with England, but there are questions marks about whether he would offer the level of control in midfield that Ten Hag has been looking for.
It is a very difficult profile to look for; a player who can pick the ball up from the centre-backs and carry it forward consistently while also offering some defensive security. At the World Cup, however, there is one player that fits the bill.
Enzo Fernandez has been in impressive form for Benfica this season after his £12m move from River Plate last summer and this earned him a place in Argentina's squad for the World Cup in Qatar. He has not let manager Lionel Scaloni down, registering a goal and an assist alongside some impressive performances during the tournament so far.
The issue for United is that reports in Argentina have stated that the player has an agreement in place with Liverpool for a transfer and the club are willing to pay his €120m (£102m) release clause as they look to rebuild their midfield.
With both Eriksen and Casemiro the wrong side of 30 and without the skillset to fulfill fully what Ten Hag wants from one of his midfielders, a player of this quality can not be allowed to go to Liverpool unchallenged. This is even more true when you consider how much of an upgrade he will be for United's rivals on an aging James Milner and Jordan Henderson.
Overall United have made a lot of steps in the right direction, but they must pounce on the opportunity while they have it and not cede ground to a rival that has fallen behind.
Get Lisandro Martinez to whisper in his ear and get him in a room or on the phone with Ten Hag to sell him on the project, because he is one of Europe's next big midfielders and given that Liverpool are also in the mix for Bellingham, United can't afford to be facing that in the Premier League for the next decade.
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