Ollie Watkins, Myles Lewis-Skelly & the five signings Man Utd still need to avoid nightmare campaign under Michael Carrick

According to Miguel Delaney of The Independent, United are exploring whether Arsenal would be open to negotiating the departure of Myles Lewis-Skelly. The 19-year-old is still highly thought of at the Emirates as it stands, but it is believed that the new Premier League champions could reassess his future if they push through deals for their two top targets, Vinicius Junior and Bruno Guimaraes.

Lewis-Skelly made his breakthrough as a left-back, but could potentially complete United's midfield, having performed brilliantly when stepping into the No.6 slot for the Gunners, while he is also flexible enough to play as a No.8. He's a strong, fearless ball carrier who has a maturity to his game that belies his age.

Mikel Arteta has so far been unable to give Lewis-Skelly a nailed-on starting role for Arsenal, and Guimaraes' arrival would push him further down the pecking order, but he could walk straight into Carrick's lineup at Old Trafford. Transfermarkt currently puts Lewis-Skelly's market value at around £40m ($54m) - a bargain price for an England international who boasts so much potential - though Arsenal will realistically be able to demand a far higher fee given his contract is due to run until 2030.

The Independent also claims that United are "hopeful" about arranging a transfer for Lewis Hall, who was nominated for the 2025-26 Premier League Young Player of the Season prize after a stellar individual year in Newcastle colours. The 21-year-old, who was unfortunate not to make England's 2026 World Cup squad, is said to be "open" to a switch to United amid the growing uncertainty behind the scenes at St James' Park, with a squad rebuild likely to be on the cards after Eddie Howe's departure.

Luke Shaw rolled back the years to play a vital part in United's resurgence last term, but at 31, it's widely accepted his best years are behind him, and there is a risk his past injury troubles could return with three games a week on the schedule. Hall would at the very least provide invaluable competition for Shaw and Patrick Dorgu at left-back, but he has enough quality to quickly emerge as first choice for Carrick.

The Newcastle ace is an asset at both ends of the pitch with his crisp passing, positional awareness and precise tackling, and he proved he can perform on the biggest stage with his high-energy displays in last season's Champions League. The only hitch is that Newcastle are said to be reluctant to sell another key player, with Guimaraes set to follow Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali out the exit door, so United may have to pay upwards of £70m to bring Hall onto their books.

Securing another centre-half really should be United's next order of business, with Lisandro Martinez not due back from injury until the end of August, and Matthijs de Ligt still no closer to returning from a long-term back issue. Carrick is set to start the season with only Harry Maguire to call upon as a defensive leader, alongside the still raw Leny Yoro and 19-year-old prospect Ayden Heaven, which may lead to goals being leaked at will.

RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba could be the answer for United, who made contact with the Frenchman's agent in June, according to German outletFussball Daten. The report claims that Lukeba is "ready for a new challenge" after three years in the Bundesliga with Leipzig, and his contract contains a £77m ($104m) release clause.

That would be a steep price to pay for the 23-year-old, but there's no doubt he has the attributes to make a seamless transition to the Premier League. He's a quick, ball-playing defender who excels in one-vs-one situations, and could be the perfect foil for Maguire. Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona have also been linked with Lukeba, though, so United will have to act quickly to win the race for his signature.

The left wing is another problem position for United. Matheus Cunha played there at times last term, but the Brazilian is at his most effective when deployed centrally, and Dorgu is more defensively-minded, which only leaves Marcus Rashford as a natural fit for the position.

It has been reported that Carrick is considering reintegrating Rashford after his return from a successful loan spell at Barcelona, which is risky. The 28-year-old downed tools in times of trouble before eventually forcing his way out of Old Trafford, and doesn't deserve another chance.

Ideally, United would find a permanent buyer for Rashford and go all in on trying to sign Matias Fernandez-Pardo from Lille. Sky Sports reported the club's interest in Fernandez-Pardo in June, as an alternative option to Crysencio Summerville, who has since made his way to Saudi Arabia.

Fernandez-Pardo is actually a far more exciting option than Summerville, and has a higher ceiling than Rashford. He recorded 13 goal contributions for Lille in Ligue 1 last season, mercilessly tormenting defences with his pace and skill, and ultimately earned a spot in Belgium's World Cup squad. It feels like he's already outgrown Lille at just 21, and has a healthy arrogant streak that would hold him in good stead to make an immediate impact at United.

United were strongly linked with a swoop for Watkins last summer, and The Sun reports that they are monitoring his situation again as Joshua Zirkzee fields interest from clubs in Serie A. Zirkzee appears to have no future at Old Trafford, having mustered only five Premier League goals across the last two seasons, and Benjamin Sesko is still too young to shoulder the weight of United's scoring burden alone.

Watkins would be an ideal mentor for Sesko, and he'd add genuine pedigree to Carrick's frontline after years of consistency at Villa Park. The 30-year-old has racked up a combined 155 goals and assists for the Lions in 278 appearances, and was one of the standout performers during their run to a top-four finish and Europa League glory in 2025-26.

Tielemans and Watkins had a near-telepathic relationship in the West Midlands, and arranging a swift reunion in Manchester could be a masterstroke. The Sun also claims that Villa would listen to offers in the region of £40m ($54m) for Watkins, which represents a steal for such an experienced, intelligent and physically durable striker.