Man Utd transfer news: United scouts wowed by CL star with £105m price tag

Manchester United scouts have taken a surprise liking to an international star as they seek to bolster their midfield in the new year, according to an insider.

The Red Devils are expected to be busy in the 2026 winter window, with Ruben Amorim’s side thought to be in the high-profile hunt for Antoine Semenyo, though neighbours Manchester City appear to be heavy favourites.

Given there are long-standing rumours linking the likes of Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba to the north-west, it seems as though Amorim is only too aware that upgrading the midfield is something that could be addressed in January.

Old Trafford scouts have apparently stumbled upon another fine potential addition to their relatively threadbare midfield – a problem exacerbated by Bruno Fernandes’ recent injury away at Aston Villa.

According to TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones, United’s scouts have been extremely impressed with Atletico Madrid centre-midfielder Pablo Barrios, taking a shine to the 22-year-old who has featured in all bar one of their top-flight matches, starting in 15 out of 17 in total.

It appears that the Spain international was not the Red Devils’ intended target from the Metropolitano, as Conor Gallagher was initially of interest.

Jones believes that the interest in the former Chelsea ace led to Barrios catching the eye of the United recruitment team.

He said: “I think the interest may have even come as a consequence of looking at Conor Gallagher. But, regardless of how they ended up watching him, he’s spoken about glowingly at a few clubs, and United are one of them.”

However, Jones feels a successful approach for the midfielder is not exactly likely without a significantly appealing package.

“Atleti won’t want to lose him because he has become very important in their midfield, but I think there could be some potential for them to have a fight on their hands to keep Barrios across 2026.”

One factor which could work against Manchester United is the price involved. Barrios is thought to have a release clause of €120m (£105m), though it has also been stated that a lower price could be negotiated.

At 22, you would imagine Atletico would be after a hefty fee, especially given his current role in Diego Simeone’s side.

Other targets like Wharton and Baleba are both 21 years of age, so you can see how Barrios would fit the profile of United’s next big midfield arrival.

As per the table above, it is clear that all three have their strengths, with Baleba excelling in interceptions per 90, Barrios claiming far more successful take-ons, and Wharton edging Barrios in actions leading to shots.

From this small selection of data, Barrios looks most like an all-rounder, though given the players’ ages, any one of them can blossom further at any point, leaving clubs like United with a decision to make.

Negotiating for an appropriate fee is another battle altogether, and adding Barrios to the list of star midfielders on United’s shortlist is not going to make their task of picking the right man any easier.

Graduated in Sport Journalism (BA) with first-class honours from the University of Brighton and has since had bylines in The Times, sports business publication SportsPro, Football FanCast and The Gooner fanzine.