Manchester United’s summer transfer strategy is officially taking shape. Senior officials Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell have reportedly narrowed their midfield shortlist to just five names, with Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller emerging as a priority target to partner a Premier League star in a massive 2026/27 engine room rebuild.
The ‘Final Five’ Revealed
According to senior correspondent Ben Jacobs, United have trimmed their original list of 12 targets down to a core group. The goal is clear: sign two elite midfielders to replace the outgoing Casemiro and support the development of Kobbie Mainoo.
The Shortlist:
- Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
- Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
- Carlos Baleba (Brighton)
- Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
- Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United)
Why Angelo Stiller?
While Premier League targets like Wharton and Tonali could command fees North of £100m, Stiller represents a “cost-effective” masterstroke. Valued at €60m (£53m), the Germany international has been tracked by Jason Wilcox for years.
- Tactical Fit: Stiller is seen as the perfect technical partner for Mainoo, offering the Bundesliga-proven composure that Christopher Vivell highly admires.
- Financial Flexibility: Signing Stiller for £53m would allow United to “go big” on a second domestic target without breaching PSR (Profit and Sustainability) rules.
“Angelo Stiller is high in Man United’s thinking and is appreciated by both Vivell and Wilcox,” Jacobs confirmed via The United Stand.
Champions League Factor
With Michael Carrick’s side currently sitting in fourth position, the lure of Champions League football is United’s biggest bargaining chip. Securing a top-four finish would not only increase the transfer budget but also make Old Trafford the preferred destination over rival suitors for Wharton and Tonali.
Miguel Manjate is a football journalist and editor covering the Premier League, European competitions, and transfer news, with a strong focus on match analysis and data-driven reporting.
