Manchester United Pursue World Cup Star Martin Baturina for Midfield Rebuild

Manchester United’s midfield overhaul has taken another sharp turn, with the club now pushing into the race for Croatia and Como standout Martin Baturina – the man who lit up his World Cup debut with a spectacular strike against England.

Michael Carrick’s first summer as permanent manager is rapidly turning into a full-scale engine-room rebuild. A deal for Atalanta’s Ederson is close to being rubber-stamped, but that is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

Casemiro has already gone. Manuel Ugarte is on the verge of reuniting with Ruben Amorim at AC Milan. Those exits have left United not just short of numbers, but short of profiles – legs, versatility, creativity. Carrick and the recruitment team want at least one more major midfield addition. Baturina has surged towards the top of that list.

From Como to the world stage

The 23-year-old announced himself to a global audience on Wednesday night. With Croatia trailing England, Baturina stepped inside and unleashed a vicious, curling effort that screamed past Jordan Pickford to haul his side level. It was the sort of goal that changes games – and transfer plans.

England eventually overpowered Croatia in the second half, yet Baturina’s moment lingered. Scouts already knew his name from Serie A. Now sporting directors across Europe are being forced to move faster.

United and Aston Villa are both in that chasing pack, according to reports in Italy, after Baturina’s breakout season with Como. The Croatian arrived there from Dinamo Zagreb last summer for around £22million and immediately became the heartbeat of Cesc Fabregas’ side.

• Eight goals.
• Four assists.
• A Champions League place secured for the first time in Como’s history.

Those numbers only tell part of the story, but they explain why the offers have started to roll in.

Como dig in as bids arrive

Como have already rejected a £43m bid for Baturina and are in no rush to cash in. Bayern Munich have also asked the question about his availability, underlining how quickly he has climbed into the elite conversation.

Fabregas and the club hierarchy want to keep him. They see a player who can run games from midfield, drift out wide, and give them tactical flexibility at the highest level as they prepare for Champions League football. Selling now, on the cusp of the biggest season in their modern history, would be a brutal call.

That resistance is unlikely to deter United. The club have tracked multiple options this summer but have already stepped away from some of the more congested battles. They are not prepared to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City for Elliot Anderson. Sandro Tonali now looks destined for City, Arsenal or even Tottenham. The market for top-tier midfielders is fierce, and United know it.

Baturina offers something slightly different: a creative midfielder who can also operate off the left, giving Carrick a two-for-one solution in areas of the pitch that both need surgery.

Rashford future shapes the plan

That versatility matters because United are braced for Marcus Rashford’s likely exit. The club have reportedly lowered the asking price for the England forward to accelerate a sale, even as Old Trafford great Rio Ferdinand urges the hierarchy to reconsider and keep him.

If Rashford does go, United lose not just a wide forward, but a carrier of the ball, a runner in behind, a threat from the left channel. Baturina is not a like-for-like replacement, yet his ability to split time between attacking midfield and the left flank fits neatly with Carrick’s desire to build a more fluid, interchangeable front line.

Across last season, the Croatian divided his minutes between those roles, drifting into pockets, linking play, and arriving late in the box. For a United side that has too often looked static and predictable, that blend of movement and imagination is exactly what they have been missing.

A battle on multiple fronts

United’s recruitment drive has not stopped with Baturina. There remains firm interest in West Ham and Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, even as Tottenham circle and consider hijacking that deal. The club are also reported to have offered a five-year deal to one of Fernandes’ teammates, as they explore the possibility of a double swoop.

All of it points to a clear conclusion: Carrick wants his midfield reshaped in his image before the new season starts. Younger, more dynamic, more technically secure.

Whether United can prise Baturina away from Como is another matter. A rejected £43m bid from elsewhere has already set the starting price. Bayern are watching. Aston Villa are in the mix. Como, buoyed by Champions League qualification and led by Fabregas’ ambition, have every reason to hold firm.

United, though, cannot afford to stand still. With Casemiro gone, Ugarte heading to Milan and Rashford edging towards the exit door, this window will define the rhythm of Carrick’s first full campaign.

If they believe Martin Baturina is the midfielder to knit that new era together, they will have to prove it where it counts most – at the negotiating table.