Manchester United Pursue Martin Baturina for Midfield Rebuild

Manchester United’s midfield rebuild is accelerating – and a Croatian playmaker with a highlight-reel strike against England has surged near the top of their list.

With a deal for Atalanta’s Ederson edging towards completion and Casemiro already out of the door, United are pushing ahead with plans to reshape the core of Michael Carrick’s side. The club want at least one more major addition in the engine room, and attention has turned to Como’s Martin Baturina after a flurry of early-summer manoeuvres elsewhere in the market.

From World Cup thunderbolt to transfer target

Baturina’s name exploded onto the wider radar on Wednesday night. Croatia trailed England when the 23-year-old picked up the ball and unleashed a vicious, curling effort beyond Jordan Pickford, a strike that ripped into the top corner and briefly dragged his country level in their World Cup opener.

England ultimately overpowered Croatia in the second half, but the damage to Pickford’s net – and to scouting reports across Europe – was already done. Clubs had taken notice before; now they are circling.

Como signed Baturina from Dinamo Zagreb for around £22 million last summer, a bold move that is already paying off. Operating mainly as an attacking midfielder and off the left, he delivered eight goals and four assists in a historic campaign that ended with Como qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

That kind of output, in that kind of story, tends to travel quickly across boardrooms.

United join elite queue after £43m bid rejected

According to reports in Italy, United and Aston Villa are among several elite clubs tracking Baturina, with Bayern Munich also making enquiries over his situation. One unnamed club has already tested Como’s resolve with a £43 million bid – and been rebuffed.

For now, Cesc Fabregas’ side are standing firm. They want to keep a player who can operate centrally or wide, a flexible attacking midfielder with the legs to press and the flair to unlock defences. With Champions League football on the horizon, Como have little sporting incentive to cash in early.

United, though, are not browsing idly. They have already stepped away from a direct fight with Manchester City for Elliot Anderson, and Sandro Tonali is veering towards City, Arsenal or even Tottenham. Interest remains alive in West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes despite Spurs eyeing that deal as well.

As other midfield options drift towards rival projects, Baturina has become a live target – a profile that fits both the tactical and financial direction United are trying to take under Carrick.

A squad in transition – and a vacancy on the left

The need is clear. Casemiro has gone. Manuel Ugarte, once on United’s radar, is now expected to reunite with Ruben Amorim at AC Milan. Carrick requires energy, creativity and goals from midfield, and he needs them quickly.

Baturina ticks several of those boxes. He is comfortable receiving between the lines, can carry the ball through traffic, and has the technique to finish from distance – as England discovered the hard way. His split role this season, alternating between an attacking midfield slot and the left wing, only adds to his appeal at Old Trafford.

That left channel, in particular, is under scrutiny. United are preparing for Marcus Rashford’s likely departure and are understood to have lowered the asking price for the England forward in an effort to speed up a sale, despite Rio Ferdinand publicly urging the club to rethink.

If Rashford goes, United will not just be replacing a name. They will be replacing goals, pace and a focal point in transition. Baturina is not a like-for-like winger, but his ability to drift wide, combine and arrive late in the box offers a different route to rebuilding that flank.

Carrick’s new-look midfield taking shape

The picture is starting to form. Ederson is poised to bring bite and balance. Baturina, should United manage to prise him away from Como’s grip, would add invention and a touch of chaos between the lines. Around them, the club continue to weigh up whether to push harder for Mateus Fernandes or pivot fully towards more versatile attacking midfielders.

The challenge is obvious: persuading Como to sell a Champions League-bound talisman after already rejecting serious money. But United have entered the race, and they rarely do so without intent.

If that thunderbolt against England proves to be the moment Baturina’s career truly ignited, Old Trafford could be the stage where it next explodes.