Man Utd prepare shock next signing to counter two exits with Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham all involved

The next arrival at Man Utd might not come in the area you’d expect, with a report revealing two potential exits are prompting preparations for midfield signing number two.

The positions Erik ten Hag hopes to address this summer are goalkeeper, central midfield and striker.

Mason Mount has passed his medical and will be officially unveiled as a new Man Utd player in short order. The soon-to-be ex-Chelsea star will set United back £60m (£55m plus £5m in future add-ons).

Today’s Euro Paper Talk brought news on United’s chases of a pair of Serie A standouts.

Inter Milan’s Andre Onana is understood to be Ten Hag’s No 1 option to replace David de Gea, while Rasmus Hojlund of Atalanta represents a far more economical option than the likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen.

However, according to the Manchester Evening News, Man Utd are not ruling out making a second addition in central midfield.

Explaining why, the report claimed two of those currently at Ten Hag’s disposal may well be on the move.

Firstly, Fred is courting interest from Fulham and Mount’s arrival is reportedly the catalyst that’ll see the Brazilian cut loose. A reunion with Jose Mourinho at Roma has also been touted by the Sun.

Secondly, interest from Newcastle and West Ham in Scott McTominay is cited.

The Scotland international, 26, was not a regular starter last season following the arrivals of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. Mount’s inclusion in Ten Hag’s squad will place another obstacle in McTominay’s path and an exit is now possible.

Whether Newcastle will act on their interest given they’ve just signed Sandro Tonali for €70m remains to be seen. However, West Ham will soon have a gaping hole at holding midfield once selling Declan Rice to Arsenal.

The MEN stressed the most likely outcome right now is McTominay is retained at Old Trafford. However, a sizeable offer will see Man Utd consider whether to cash in, while the player potentially wanting out to become a regular starter elsewhere will also come into their thinking.

As such, and with Mount’s arrival potentially being offset by exits for Fred, McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer (loan expiry), Ten Hag would be short in the engine room.

The MEN therefore claim Man Utd are keeping their options open with regards to a second midfield signing.

The Red Devils are among a cluster of clubs monitoring Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, while links to Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat are heating up once more.

EURO PAPER TALK: Ten Hag ecstatic with top two Man Utd targets on brink of blockbuster double deal; Klopp wants Dutch star at Liverpool ‘at any cost’