Man United swap deal with Sunderland ‘ruled out’ as club refuse to sell ยฃ15m star

January 20, 2026

๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—จ๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฑโ€™๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฑ ๐—ข๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐—น: ๐—ฆ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐—•๐—น๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐—ฆ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ถ ๐— ๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐˜€ ๐—–๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐— ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ผ

โ€‹Manchester Unitedโ€™s search for a long-term successor to Casemiro has hit a significant roadblock. Despite an aggressive pursuit of Sunderlandโ€™s breakout star Noah Sadiki, the Black Cats have reportedly slammed the door shut on a summer move, labeling the youngster “untouchable.”

โ€‹The Sadiki Stumbling Block

โ€‹Noah Sadiki, 21, has seen his stock soar since arriving at Sunderland from Union Saint-Gilloise for ยฃ15m last summer. His dominant performances in the heart of the midfield have made him a primary target for United’s recruitment team. However, The Sun reports that Sunderland has no intention of negotiating for the player, who is currently tied to a contract until 2030.

โ€‹In an effort to sweeten the deal, United were reportedly prepared to offer a creative swap package involving Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte plus a cash sum. Sunderland, however, has rejected the proposal outright, maintaining that no amount of money will tempt them to part with their prized asset in the upcoming window.

โ€‹Unitedโ€™s Midfield Shortlist

โ€‹With the Sadiki deal looking increasingly unlikely, the hierarchy at Old Trafford is pivoting toward other high-profile targets. The club remains committed to lowering the average age of their central ranks.

TargetCurrent ClubProfile
Adam WhartonCrystal PalaceElite ball-retention and vision
Carlos BalebaBrightonHigh-intensity defensive specialist
Elliot AndersonNottingham ForestDynamic box-to-box presence
Marc CasadรณBarcelonaEmerged as a target in the last 2๐Ÿœ hours

The Carrick Factor: A Fresh Lease of Life for Kobbie Mainoo

โ€‹While the summer transfer strategy remains a work in progress, the immediate picture on the pitch has shifted following the departure of Ruben Amorim. Under interim head coach Michael Carrick, the narrative surrounding academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has transformed overnight.

โ€‹Mainoo, who struggled for consistent minutes under the previous regime and was even linked with a January exit, was handed a start in the recent Manchester derby. His 90-minute performance alongside Casemiro provided the foundation for a revitalized United showing.

โ€‹”I thought Kobbie was great in there alongside Case,” Carrick noted following the City clash. “It gave us a strong foundation… I felt it was a game for experience and knowing what it feels like.”

โ€‹Tactical Outlook: The Road to the Summer

โ€‹For the remainder of the 2025-2๐Ÿž campaign, Carrick appears settled on a midfield spine featuring Mainoo and Casemiro in deeper roles, allowing club captain Bruno Fernandes to operate effectively as a traditional number ten.

โ€‹While this setup provides stability for the interim period, the objective for the “In EOS” era remains clear: United are positioned to make a statement signing in the midfield this summer. Whether they can eventually pry Sadiki away or pivot to the likes of Wharton or Baleba will define the next phase of the club’s rebuild.

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