Manchester United have been dealt a number of blows during this transfer window in their bid to upgrade their midfield, and now they are being forced to look at alternative options.

The Red Devils had made Elliot Anderson their top target for the window, but he has left Nottingham Forest to sign for Man City in a club-record £116m deal, while Mateus Fernandes was also at the top of their shortlist, but they were gazumped by Tottenham Hotspur and he has moved to the north London club for £85m.

Now Michael Carrick and INEOS are looking at a number of alternative options that they could bring into the squad, and one star who has been shining at the World Cup has emerged as a potential target.

Man Utd Eyeing Tyler Adams Deal

According to BBC Sport, Man Utd are eyeing a potential move to sign Bournemouth star Tyler Adams this summer.

Adams, who has been described as ‘incredible’, has enjoyed a fine campaign at the Vitality Stadium with the Cherries, and is now part of the USMNT team at the World Cup this summer that has been performing exceedingly well, reaching the Round of 16 so far.

United have already completed a deal to bring in Ederson from Atalanta as one option, but at least two more midfielders are expected to be brought in to Old Trafford following news of Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee injury.

Adams is Premier League-proven, has plenty of years ahead of him, and could be seen as an ideal replacement for Casemiro with his defensive mindset and experience at the highest level.

It’s unclear how much a deal would cost, but Bournemouth are unlikely to be willing to sell him easily, as they prepare to feature in European competition for the first time in their history.

Man Utd and Adams Would Be Underwhelming

While Adams’ skillset and profile does fit what Man Utd are reportedly looking for for their squad, it’s hard to see how fans wouldn’t be somewhat underwhelmed by the American star.

Defensively, Adams has got a terrific engine, is a top tackler and is not afraid to put his foot in where it hurts. It’s also fair to say that he would be on the cheaper end of the cost scale compared to previous targets. But considering the names that have been linked with a move, Adams seems to be a level below that at least.

For the right fee it could be a good bit of business, but United would need to find a way to get fans on side over a deal for the former Leeds star.

Belgium’s Rudi Garcia has taken to social media after his comments following their 3-2 victory over Senegal at the 2026 World Cup sparked outrage.

Belgium looked like they were going to head out of the competition when they trailed Senegal by two goals going into the final few minutes of their last 32 match at Seattle Stadium.

However, they produced an unlikely comeback to shock their African opponents and emerge victorious.

Romelu Lukaku, who started the match on the bench, gave Belgium hope as he halved the deficit with four minutes remaining. Youri Tielemans headed home shortly after to send the match into extra-time.

Belgium were then given a spot-kick in the dying embers of extra-time when Tielemans was felled inside the box. The Aston Villa midfielder made no mistake as he dispatched his penalty with aplomb to give his side the victory.

REUTERS/Albert Gea

Garcia caused a stir after the match with comments he made about Senegal ‘losing tactical control’ in the final minutes. He said, per Goal:

Garcia was asked to clarify those comments during his post-match press conference. He said: “No, no, I didn’t say that. You’re misinterpreting my words. Senegal deserved to go through as much as we did.

“I said that when you’re ahead, and that’s the case for all teams in the world, you tend to drop back and try to protect your goal. We pushed forward, and they dropped back. And I think if we hadn’t scored the second goal, we would never have come back.”

REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

Garcia has now taken to social media to defend himself even further following the backlash. He wrote in a statement on X:

“My comments were by no means aimed at African teams; they could just as easily have applied to Asian, South American, or European teams unfamiliar with that kind of pressure.

“As a less experienced coach myself, I learned the hard way that stopping play to defend a result at all costs is counterproductive. That is what I had in mind when I said that such teams can lose their tactical shape in those moments.”

Belgium will face co-hosts USA in the last 16 of the competition. The match will take place at Seattle Stadium on Monday, July 6.

Tottenham Hotspur do have an interest in a move to sign Bournemouth sensation Eli Junior Kroupi this summer, according to Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge.

The Lilywhites have had an incredible summer transfer window already, bringing in all of Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Mateus Fernandes, while a £100m deal to sign Sandro Tonali has also been agreed.

But after a second consecutive 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, Spurs are ready to go all-out to bolster Roberto De Zerbi’s squad for the new season, and a new forward is considered to be among the priorities for the window.

Update Emerges on Tottenham Move for Kroupi

Kroupi, who has been described as a ‘phenom’, had an incredible breakthrough season for Bournemouth in 2025/26, netting a record-breaking 13 goals in 35 appearances in the Premier League, more than any other teenager in a single campaign.

The Frenchman has attracted the interest of a number of clubs as a result of his performances, and Tottenham are understood to be one of the clubs who are also showing huge interest in his signature.

However, in an update shared by Sky Sports journalist Bridge, any deal is considered to be ‘highly unlikely’, as the Cherries have no interest in selling their prized asset ahead of the new campaign under a new manager.

Bournemouth have no need to sell and want to give Marco Rose the strongest squad possible to compete. It’s also stated that it would take an ‘astronomical offer’ for them to even consider a sale of the 20-year-old.

Bridge also stated that he spoke to a source about the deal who confirmed the interest in the player, although he also stated that everyone was keen on him, showing that there would be huge competition.

Tottenham Making Major Statements

Tottenham know they have to make a statement this summer ahead of the new season, and that comes with bringing in top players into the club to help them climb up the table and begin to compete for silverware once again.

Deals for Tonali and Fernandes were major statements, with the club breaking their transfer window twice in one window. But bringing in someone like Kroupi would arguably be an even better statement considering it comes after spending big money elsewhere, and with the competition they will face.

It’s unlikely a deal happens, but many would have said the same about Fernandes and Tonali just a few weeks ago, so this is one to keep a close eye on.