Man United 'offered chance' to sign ex-Chelsea star who Aston Villa are desperate to land

Both Man United and Aston Villa could reportedly sign a former Chelsea midfielder before the end of January.

Man United are yet to sign anyone in January so far, yet the atmosphere around the club is very much on the up. Michael Carrick came in and beat rivals Man City 2-0 in his first game. He will now hope to build on the momentum in a tough game against league leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Aston Villa & Man Utd ‘offered’ chance to sign England star as West Ham eye cunning swap move | Getty Images

The Red Devils aren’t expected to make any major signings, as they will likely invest heavily in the squad in the summer. Especially in the midfield, as United need to find a long-term replacement for Casemiro.

The Brazilian star is out of contract at the end of the season, and so reports now claim that the Red Devils could sign a former Chelsea player to fill the hole in midfield.

Man United ‘offered’ Aston Villa target Loftus-Cheek

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has emerged as a new target for Man United, as they search for a bargain midfielder deal before the end of the January transfer window. The former Chelsea star is currently at AC Milan, and has been for three years, making over 90 appearances, with 11 goals and four assists.

According to talkSPORT, Man United have been ‘offered’ the chance to sign the 29-year-old. It is not understood whether this would be a loan or permanent deal, but either way, it would be beneficial for United to bring in an experienced Premier League midfielder to help guide them to European football.

However, they face competition from Aston Villa, who have enquired about Loftus-Cheek, as Unai Emery recently lost midfielder Boubacar Kamara to an injury, which could keep him out of action for the remainder of the season. Loftus-Cheek is a physical centre-midfielder who can play either a defensive or advanced role. He could be a useful addition for Carrick and a cheap deal to complete.

Man United looking at ex-PL midfielders

Another name that has emerged as a midfield target is Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves, who played for Wolves between 2017 and 2023. He made over 170 Premier League appearances and also has experience in leadership, as he was Wolves’ captain for a long period.

It is understood that Al-Hilal are willing to sell him for around £19m, and Man United are considering a move for the 28-year-old this month. He is a similar age to Loftus-Cheek and has similar levels of experience, so either could be a really shrewd piece of business.

Neves does have an ace up his sleeve, though, as he has played with both Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot on numerous occasions for the Portugal national team, so he should be able to click with United’s players around him in theory. He is also very useful on a long-range free kick or edge-of-the-box shot, which could come in handy for Carrick for the remainder of the season.