A big summer awaits at Manchester United. Not only do Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co need to appoint a new permanent manager but they also have a lot of work to do in the transfer window.
With Casemiro leaving, it means United need to sign a midfielder and with the likes of Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson both linked, it promises to be an exciting few months.
That said, just who they are able to get their hands on may well depend on the amount of cash they have in reserve. Both Tonali and Anderson have been valued upwards of £100m.
Signing one of those would likely not leave a lot of room to do much else in the market.
What the summer transfer window has in store for Man United
Signing a new midfielder will undoubtedly be at the top of the agenda but it is not the only position those at Old Trafford are looking to strengthen in.
Indeed, according to reports this weekend, they have held initial talks over a deal to sign Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth. This would be a cost-effective deal with the Argentine actually out of contract at the end of this season.
Senesi is not the only centre-half in United’s crosshairs, however.
According ESPN, the club are carrying out work on a number of left-footed central defenders and have started making checks on Nottingham Forest’s Murillo.
However, with Harry Maguire having recently signed a new deal in Manchester, landing a new centre-back is seen as less of a priority.
He may also cost around £70m too, with previous reports indicating a bid within that region would likely be accepted by those over at Forest.
How Murillo compares to Senesi
If Ratcliffe is looking to cut costs again this summer then signing Senesi certainly makes a lot of sense.
The centre-back has been one of the Premier League‘s best this term and on a free transfer, it feels like something of a no-brainer.
Yet, by the time he moves club over the summer, he will be 29. That, of course, is not particularly old, but it does make Murillo more of a favourable option.
Aged just 23, last season he was described as “one of the best in the Premier League” by journalist Dean Jones and while Forest have been at the wrong end of the table in 2025/26, he has still impressed.
Standing at just 5 foot 11, two inches taller than Lisandro Martinez, he might not be the tallest centre-back in the world but he’s a dogged performer boasting classic South American warrior-like spirit.
He’s a bulldog of a defender, not just strong in the duel but a calm and composed presence at the back. He made 0.76 successful dribbles per 90 minutes last season, ranking him among the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for that metric.
Of course, a defender is not solely judged on their ability to carry the ball forward but it would bode well for United and their midfielders knowing they have a centre-half who can progress the ball well.
In that regard, Senesi is in the bottom 30% for successful dribbles with just 0.10 per 90. That being said, he is highly impressive with his passing. The Argentine has 0.27 through balls per 90 minutes this season, ranking him in the best 1% of positionally similar players on the continent.
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Murillo vs Senesi: 2025/26 Premier League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 mins) |
Murillo |
Senesi |
|
Pass accuracy |
83% |
74% |
|
Tackles made |
1.5 |
1.8 |
|
Take-ons completed |
0.5 |
0.1 |
|
Take-on success |
64% |
60% |
|
Aerial duels won |
1 |
2.5 |
|
Aerial duel success % |
51% |
48% |
|
Ground duels won |
2.2 |
2.8 |
|
Ground duel success % |
56% |
56% |
|
Interceptions |
1.4 |
1.6 |
|
Clean sheets |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
Goals conceded |
1.3 |
1.6 |
While Senesi looks better defensively, winning more duels, albeit at a lower success rate than Murillo, it is the latter who comes out on top with regards to passing and dribbling.
As a stopgap and on a free transfer, Senesi begins to make even more sense when you judge things by the numbers. Yet, Murillo’s potential is enormous and he has the potential to become a real Premier League stalwart.
He’s still very young for a centre-back and there is a belief that he has what it takes to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, if he isn’t already.
Celebrated as a “monstrous” presence by reporter Ryan Taylor, the Forest defender has proven himself over a consistent period of time now, perhaps more than the likes of Leny Yoro and certainly over Ayden Heaven.
Alongside more of a brute in Maguire, this could be the birth of a fine defensive partnership.
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