Manchester Evening News: Manchester United sign new midfielder; with Rashford's return, the team has four possible formations.

The Manchester Evening News reported four possible formations for Manchester United, pairing Andre Santos and Tielemans, after Rashford's return.

Manchester United quickly bolstered their midfield, signing Andre Santos from Chelsea and Tielemans from Aston Villa. Santos was United's first major signing of the summer, with an initial transfer fee that could have reached £48 million; while after Belgium's elimination from the World Cup, United triggered Tielemans' £35 million release clause to sign the Aston Villa midfield maestro, making the deal very swift.

Casemiro's departure, coupled with Ugarte's long-term absence due to a serious knee injury while playing for the Uruguayan national team, has forced Manchester United to turn their attention to the midfield transfer market. The team hasn't stopped there, and has now set its sights on Brighton's Baleba. So, how will the arrivals of Santos and Tielemans shape Manchester United's squad this season?

Option 1: Menu paired with two defensive midfielders

Despite spending most of England's time on the bench during the World Cup, the idea of Menou experiencing a resurgence under Carrick after Amorim's later departure from the squad was considered a pipe dream. He had previously secured a starting position alongside Casemiro, with the Brazilian playing as a deep-lying midfielder, allowing Menou to shine in a more advanced box-to-box (all-around midfielder) position.

Tielemans shares a similar style with this Manchester United academy product, both excelling at attacking runs. Pairing him with Menu, along with a defensive midfielder, could create a more balanced lineup. In games where Manchester United have possession, the Menu-Tielemans combination could be incredibly effective, especially in breaking down opponents' low blocks.

Option 1: Menu paired with two defensive midfielders

However, pairing Menu with Santos is the smartest tactical choice, allowing the former to play freely in attack.

Potential lineup: Lamenz; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Menu, Santos, Amad, Fernandez, Cunha; Mbemo.

Option 2: Liberate Mount and Cunha

Since joining Manchester United, Mount has failed to fully realize his attacking potential. The midfielder has been plagued by injuries since his 2023 transfer and has struggled to secure a starting position.

Although Carrick primarily used a 4-2-3-1 formation last season, switching to a 4-2-2-2 would allow Mount and Cunha to partner in attacking midfield, while Santos and Tielemans would protect the defense, giving Manchester United a numerical advantage in attack. The combined transfer fee for these two new signings exceeds £85 million, which might allow Carrick to experiment with a more attacking style and maximize the offensive output of Cunha and Mount.

The 4-2-2-2 formation activates Mount and Cunha.

Potential lineup: Lamenz; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos; Mount, Cunha; Sesco, Mbemo.

Option 3: Build the team around Rashford

Rashford has been loaned out by Manchester United for the second time, joining Barcelona last season, but the club will not exercise its option to buy. Since scoring 30 goals in all competitions in the 2022/23 season, he has struggled to replicate that goal-scoring efficiency and was once not favored by Amorin.

Manchester United face a crucial decision: whether to reinstate him or sell him, with the latter appearing more likely. However, Rashford's ability is undeniable; he could provide Carrick with another highly impactful attacking option, fitting Carrick's preference for versatile, physically gifted wingers.

Tielemans is particularly adept at delivering accurate passes that penetrate the defense, and his partnership with Rashford's amazing speed on the wing might create unexpected sparks.

Potential lineup: Lamenz; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Menu, Ahmad, Fernandez, Rashford; Mbemo.

Option 4: Santos paired with Tielemans

The signings of these two new players this week reflect Jason Wilcox's awareness of Manchester United's midfield shortage, and the fact that these two can definitely play together. Santos averages 14.4 forward passes per game, enough to activate attacking players like Fernandes and Amad Diallo; his statistics in terms of tackles drawn and pass completion rate are better than Manchester United's midfielders last season, and he can fit well into the defensive midfield position.

Tielemans is far more than just a seasoned Premier League midfielder. Since leaving Leicester City, his playing style has become increasingly well-rounded. His excellent vision allows him to control the tempo of the game, and his precise passes that tear apart defenses are one of his specialties.

A key point to note is that Manchester United need to compete for titles on all fronts this season, making squad depth crucial. Last season, the team played a club-record low of 40 games, and if they want to go further in domestic competitions and European rivalry this season, Carrick must effectively rotate the midfield.

Potential lineup: Lamenz; Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Tielemans, Santos, Amad, Fernandez, Cunha; Mbemo.