The new Rashford: Man Utd in talks to sign “England’s Ousmane Dembele”

When the transfer window opens, Manchester United will push hard to bring in a new midfielder ASAP.

While fans have pleaded with Casemiro to stay at Old Trafford, the Brazilian has continued to voice that he will be leaving the Premier League behind at the end of the season.

Rumours are rife over potential replacements, with United looking for two midfielders to soften the blow.

One of those could be a pricier option in the form of £100m men Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson. The idea is that they are likely to spend a premium on one midfielder before acquiring a cheaper option in the form of Ederson at Atalanta or Mateus Fernandes at West Ham.

That being said, the central areas are not the only parts of the team that United are looking to strengthen.

Man United looking at a host of young players

While a new midfielder is very much the number one priority this summer, United are reportedly interested in bringing in a host of young players.

At Bournemouth, Eli Junior Kroupi has been linked with a switch but most of the Premier League’s elite clubs are interested and the Cherries don’t want to sell this summer. He could also cost £100m.

Wolves’ Mateus Mane has also been the subject of interest from some of the biggest sides in the country, with plenty looking to take advantage of the fact that Rob Edwards’ side have been relegated.

Speaking of that, Leicester City’s relegation to League One is also set to be taken advantage of.

Premier League clubs won’t be fond of many of their players but wonderkid Jeremy Monga is someone attracting interest. That’s according to reports from Round Table who suggest that Jason Wilcox has met with club officials at Leicester this week to discuss signing Monga.

United are said to have ‘firm interest’ in the 16-year-old who is expected to leave the King Power behind in the forthcoming months.

Why Monga could be the new Rashford

One of the biggest priorities last summer for United was to strengthen the wide areas.

They did a rather impressive job of that as Bryan Mbeumo arrived from Brentford and Matheus Cunha came in from Wolves. Both have had a phenomenal impact and have been key in securing qualification for the Champions League.

The form of those two players has all but ended Marcus Rashford’s time at his boyhood club. While Michael Carrick could give him a lifeline, the general consensus is that he will leave permanently in the summer.

Rashford has spent the season on loan at Barcelona and the Spanish giants are keen on bringing him back.

In Monga, the Red Devils could secure their next version of Rashford. While the latter may not have been 15 when he made his Premier League debut – he was 18 – they both made their breakthroughs at the highest levels as teenagers.

The United academy graduate even scored twice on his debut and against Arsenal no less, way back in February 2016.

In the form of Monga, they could sign another wonderkid, and he possesses similar attributes to a young Rashford.

The youngster is the third youngest Premier League player of all time, but has endured his struggles in 2025/26. The whole Leicester team have truth be told. He scored just one goal and assisted twice.

That said, remember this is a 16-year-old. He shouldn’t even be playing first-team football yet. His rise to prominence has been particularly impressive. Monga played 27 second-tier games this season and while he did not always dazzle, he has huge potential.

So, what makes him so similar to Rashford besides the breakthrough at an early age? Well, he’s incredibly fleet-footed, he’s quick, phenomenal with the ball in tight spaces and boasts a low centre of gravity that helps him manipulate the ball and evade opponents with ease.

Hailed by Como scout Ben Mattinson as “England’s Ousmane Dembélé”, he notes that Monga is “pacy and an excellent dribbler” who is a “deadly finisher and both-footed ball striker.”

While Rashford isn’t quite two-footed, he is also particularly quick and effective when it comes to bursting beyond a marker.

The Leicester teenager may not be the most exciting addition that Wilcox and Co could make this summer but in the future, he could well play a major part in any success this great club goes on to have.