Erik ten Hag has a considerable amount of work to do following his appointment as Manchester United manager, and one of the Dutchman's main tasks will be to attempt to improve the team's midfield.
United are set for something of an overhaul in midfield this summer, with it having already been confirmed that Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard will be leaving Old Trafford when their contracts expire at the end of June.
After United finished in sixth place in the Premier League it is clear that much improvement is required, and it will be intriguing to see how Ten Hag looks to make his side more effective.
While United have already been linked with several midfielders, Ten Hag also has to make a decision on players who are returning to the club following loan spells as well as running the rule over the existing midfield options.
Who are Manchester United's rumoured transfer targets?
Frenkie de Jong
Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong is the midfielder who has been most heavily linked to United amid suggestions that he could leave the Nou Camp.
The 25-year-old possesses much experience of playing at a high level and could have a transformative effect on United's midfield if he was to join the club.
Ten Hag is eager to work with his compatriot as he looks to help United push forward.
However, reports suggest that securing a deal for de Jong could prove to be problematic, with The Times stating that he wants to stay at Barcelona.
Scott McTominay with his first of the season! 🙌
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 30, 2021
It falls beautifully to the Scot on the edge of the area who finishes in style and Man Utd lead!#PLonPrime #MUNBUR pic.twitter.com/OTbeMrXJU9
Ruben Neves
Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves has also been mentioned as a potential option for United.
Neves' Premier League experience could prove to be very useful, and The Sun report that United will make a final push to try and sign him.
His current contract runs out in 2024 but he's so far stalled in signing an extension.
United's hopes of signing Neves have been boosted as Wolves are closing in on the signing of another midfielder in Joao Palhinha of Sporting Lisbon.
With his fine passing and committed approach, Neves certainly seems to be an option worth exploring for United.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice has been linked with a transfer for some time as a result of his stellar performances for West Ham and England.
Manchester United are among the clubs to have expressed interest in the 23-year-old but if Rice does decide to leave then there will be no shortage of suitors, with Chelsea another possible destination.
The Sun reported in May that Rice had turned down West Ham's offer of a new eight-year contract, which represented a boost for United.
However, Rice's price tag could prevent a deal from materialising, with West Ham likely to demand around £150 million for their star asset.
James Ward-Prowse
Another England international who is reportedly on United's transfer radar, James Ward-Prowse was very impressive for Southampton this campaign, to the extent that he was nominated for the Premier League player of the season award.
The set-piece specialist could help to bring an extra dimension to United's midfield and The Sun reported in May that Ten Hag is interested in a deal for Ward-Prowse.
According to the report, it could cost United £75 million to sign the Saints midfielder.
Although other clubs will also be interested, this transfer seems more feasible for United than some of the other options with regards to midfield reinforcements.
James Ward-Prowse is an absolute problem from set pieces 🔥
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 15, 2021
It's another picture perfect free-kick from the Southampton man 😍 pic.twitter.com/7vDPHArtvS
Who are Manchester United's current midfielders?
Scott McTominay
A product of United's academy, McTominay has made 170 appearances since breaking into the first-team in 2017.
The Scotland international has received heavy criticism at times for his performances, but there have also been occasions where he has impressed.
If United make some major additions in midfield then it could lead to McTominay becoming more of a squad player, which is something that he could be suited to.
Fred
Fred's four years at United have encompassed fluctuations in form. The Brazilian still has a year remaining on his contract with the option for a further year, and it is likely that he will remain part of the squad under Ten Hag.
Whether Fred will be able to hold down a regular starting berth is likely to be dependent on which players join the club.
The 29-year-old will be determined to impress Ten Hag and demonstrate that he is a player who is worth persisting with.
Bruno Fernandes
When United signed Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, the deal seemed to be an inspired one as he was hugely impressive after joining. In the 2020-21 campaign he scored 28 goals across all competitions.
However, like many of his team-mates, Fernandes' performance levels dipped considerably last season with United struggling to perform as a cohesive unit.
Ten Hag will be tasked with attempting to get Fernandes back to his best and if he achieves that objective it would be of greater benefit to the whole team.
Hannibal Mejbri
A youngster known for his committed approach, Mejbri has made three Premier League appearances for United, two of which came towards the end of this season.
Mejbri has already been capped on 19 occasions by Tunisia at senior level, but he doesn't possess much experience of senior football on the club stage.
It seems likely that the 19-year-old will be assessed by Ten Hag in pre-season but a loan spell could be useful for his development next season.
Donny van de Beek
Van de Beek was left hugely frustrated by his situation at United as he frequently found himself named among the substitutes.
That led to him going on loan to Everton in January, although his temporary spell was disrupted somewhat by a thigh injury.
The Dutch international will now return to United and he will hope that a reunion with Ten Hag, under whom he impressed at Ajax, could revitalise his Old Trafford career.
Ten Hag is likely to know how to get the best out of Van de Beek, which could lead to him finally making a major impact for the club.
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James Garner
Another player returning from loan, Garner played a key part as Nottingham Forest earned promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or further forward, Garner has made seven senior appearances for United so far.
Forest are eager to sign Garner on loan again, with Everton, Leicester, Southampton and Leeds also reportedly tracking him, according to The Athletic.
Andreas Pereira
Pereira has had four loan spells away from United and is currently at Brazilian side Flamengo.
Although he has played 75 times for United, Pereira has found it challenging to really establish himself.
It is possible that the 26-year-old could be given a fresh start under Ten Hag but at some stage in the near future a concrete decision will need to be made regarding whether he will remain at the club.