Manchester United can sign Ruben Neves for £15 million in the January transfer window! Internal discussions have taken place, with two other candidates considered but at higher prices.

Due to a thigh soft tissue injury sustained in the match against Aston Villa, Bruno Fernandes faces the longest injury absence of his career, potentially missing a month. This could see him miss five Premier League games against Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds, Burnley, and Manchester City, as well as the FA Cup third-round match versus Brighton. Bruno might return on January 26th when United visit Arsenal.

Worse still, the academy midfielder Kobe Meno, originally seen as Bruno’s backup, has suffered a calf injury, ruling him out of at least the Newcastle game and likely sidelining him for several weeks. As a result, Manchester United have shifted their stance and are now more likely to bring in a new midfielder during the January transfer window if the right opportunity arises.

The 31-year-old Bruno will undergo a thorough medical examination arranged by Manchester United to assess the extent of his injury. At Villa Park, he failed to continue his record as the top scorer against Villa and was substituted at halftime, greeted by mocking cheers from the home fans. Bruno turned to them and said, “Your cheers for me are louder than for your own team. Don’t be upset just because I always score against you!”

However, Villa fans had the last laugh as Morgan Rogers scored the winning goal a little over ten minutes later. After the defeat, Manchester United must seriously reconsider their midfield options for upcoming matches. Ruben Amorim has only Casemiro and Ugarte available in midfield, plus Lisandro Martinez who played out of position against Villa; the Argentine defender Lima has experience playing as a defensive midfielder at Ajax.

Transfer expert Ben Jacobs revealed that Manchester United have not ruled out signing a new midfielder in January. He disclosed that since 28-year-old Ruben Neves has rejected a contract extension, Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal may accept a lower offer in the winter window; otherwise, he will leave on a free transfer next summer. Al Hilal wants £18 million, while United aim for £10 million, so a fee around £15 million is widely expected.

Reportedly, Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher and Wolves’ Joao Gomes are two other options, but their prices are definitely higher than Neves’s, especially Gomes, whose fee could exceed £43 million, making their signings less likely.

Neves’s wages are also a concern; he earns £410,000 per week in Saudi Arabia but is willing to take a significant pay cut to return to the Premier League, accepting less than £200,000 weekly. He hopes to rejoin top European competition before the World Cup. According to "Insight Offside," it’s not only Manchester United interested in Neves; Premier League rivals Newcastle, Turkish club Galatasaray, and even La Liga giants Real Madrid have shown interest in this midfield powerhouse.

Manchester United’s primary midfield target is unlikely to move in the January window. David Ornstein of "Athletic" stated, “Many clubs are interested in Elliott Anderson, but he won’t transfer in January. Next summer is a different story. Nottingham Forest’s asking price is between £80 million and £100 million. His contract has no release clause, but Forest knows they must accept if the offer is right. Anderson earns £100,000 per week, and interested clubs like Man City, Man United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and others can afford that. Some have already contacted Forest. United have expressed interest, and I believe Anderson is their top choice for the number six midfield role.”

Crystal Palace still have a chance to qualify for European competition and therefore will not agree to sell their 21-year-old midfield core Adam Walton mid-season. His price is similar to Anderson’s, and the "Eagles" definitely want to wait until after the World Cup to sell, hoping his strong performance will increase his transfer value.

According to The Times, Brighton may decide not to sell Carlos Baleba before 2027, a decision that could reduce Manchester United’s chances of signing the 21-year-old Cameroonian international next year. The Red Devils were deterred by Brighton’s £120 million valuation in the summer window. Due to Baleba’s underwhelming performance this season and a drop in market value, Brighton plans to keep him for another 18 months, waiting for him to regain form before selling at a higher price.