Manchester United Targets World Cup Star Martin Baturina for Midfield Rebuild
Manchester United’s midfield rebuild has taken a sharp turn towards Lake Como – and towards the left boot that lit up Croatia’s World Cup opener against England.
Martin Baturina, the 23-year-old who ripped a thunderous, curling equaliser past Jordan Pickford on Wednesday, has emerged as a serious target for United as they search for fresh legs and fresh ideas in the centre of the pitch and out wide.
Carrick’s engine room gets ripped up
Michael Carrick’s first summer as permanent boss was never going to be gentle on the midfield. Casemiro has already gone. A deal for Atalanta’s Ederson is edging towards confirmation. Manuel Ugarte, once on United’s radar, is instead expected to reunite with Ruben Amorim at AC Milan.
The plan is clear: strip it back and build something younger, more dynamic, more flexible.
United have stepped away from a straight fight with Manchester City for Elliot Anderson. Sandro Tonali is now being steered towards City, Arsenal or a surprise move to Tottenham. Interest in West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes remains, even as Spurs circle that deal as well.
So United have widened the search. And Baturina’s name has shot towards the top of the list.
From Dinamo to Como – and straight onto Europe’s radar
Baturina arrived at Como from Dinamo Zagreb for around £22million last summer, a bold move for a club only just beginning to feel its way back into the European elite. It has paid off handsomely.
Eight goals. Four assists. A key role in a Como side that has qualified for the Champions League for the first time in its history. Those numbers carry weight, but the manner of his performances has carried more.
Cesc Fabregas has built a side that plays with ambition, and Baturina has been central to it, splitting his time between attacking midfield and the left wing. He drifts into pockets, drives at defenders, and strikes the ball with the sort of confidence that turned a half-chance against England into a statement.
That strike, Croatia’s first equaliser in a game England later took away from them in the second half, felt like a coming-out moment on the biggest stage. For scouts, it simply confirmed what they already knew.
United join the chase – but Como stand firm
Interest in Baturina has escalated across Europe. According to reports in Italy, United and Aston Villa are among the clubs tracking him closely. Bayern Munich have also asked the question.
Como, though, are not playing the role of a small club grateful for any offer. They have already turned down a £43million bid for their Croatian playmaker and are in no rush to cash in.
Fabregas and the club hierarchy want to keep him. With Champions League football secured and a project gathering momentum, they see Baturina as a cornerstone, not a trading chip.
United will have to decide how far they are willing to push.
Rashford’s future opens a lane
Baturina’s versatility is a big part of the attraction. He can run a game from the middle, but he can also operate off the left – and that matters at Old Trafford right now.
United have been actively looking to strengthen that flank as they prepare for what increasingly looks like Marcus Rashford’s exit. The club are reported to have cut the England forward’s asking price in an effort to accelerate a sale, even as Old Trafford great Rio Ferdinand publicly urges them to think again.
If Rashford goes, United lose pace, goals and a long-time symbol of the club’s academy pathway. They will need a new profile there – someone who can slide between lines, link with the midfield, and still threaten the goal.
Baturina ticks those boxes, even if he is not a like-for-like replacement.
A new face for United’s midfield?
United’s recruitment drive is already complex: Ederson to anchor or energise the middle, Fernandes still in the frame, other targets drifting towards rivals. Baturina adds another layer – a player who can change the geometry of the team rather than simply fill a gap.
Como have shown they will not be bullied. Bayern and others are hovering. Aston Villa, now a regular in the European conversation, can offer an attractive project of their own.
If United truly want Baturina, they will have to prove it with a bid that forces Como to reconsider and with a vision that convinces a rising star to make Old Trafford his next stage.
In a summer that will define Carrick’s tenure, is this the gamble United are prepared to take?
