00:00Manchester United have agreed to send midfielder Toby Collier on loan to Championship side West Bromwich Albion for the forthcoming season,
00:08as they consider their own midfield addition in the final couple of weeks of the summer transfer window.
00:14Ruben Amarim has already been backed with roughly £200 million to sign Mateusz Cunha, Brian Mbwemo, Diego León and Benjamin Szczesko,
00:22but he would love to add a mobile midfielder to his squad in the final fortnight of the window.
00:29United are still interested in Brighton ace Carlos Balaba.
00:33He is viewed as the ideal fit for United's new style of play under the Portuguese head coach, but it's very difficult to get a deal done.
00:42Balaba would be keen on a move to United this summer, but he's not expected to force an exit and could happily stay on the south coast for at least another season.
00:50Brighton are adamant they will only sanction a sale if it is on their terms, and Balaba is believed to cost at least £100 million this summer if a deal is to be agreed.
01:02United, of course, could look to pay a smaller initial fee with add-ons, future selling clauses and all that,
01:08and try and space it out over a few years so it's not as much of an initial cost in the summer.
01:14But at this moment in time, a move for Balaba is still viewed as unlikely.
01:17But the fact that United have allowed Toby Collier to join West Brom on loan suggests that maybe they are confident of getting a replacement in.
01:24United are limited with their options in central midfield.
01:27They did tell Toby Collier he would be allowed to leave on loan this summer, but that was to facilitate their own midfield arrival.
01:34So if Collier set to join the championship team for the forthcoming season, it now remains to be seen what United's response will be.
01:42Collier had offers from, I think, roughly half the teams in the championship this summer over various loans or permanent transfers.
01:51Hull City, they said they were quietly confident of agreeing a deal to sign Collier on loan,
01:57but he's joined West Brom instead.
02:00They are a team with maybe greater promotion ambitions than Hull City this season.
02:04They're also a team that Johnny Evans, the United head of loans and pathways, used to play for.
02:10And Hull City, due to a current financial situation, would be unable to offer a loan fee for Collier.
02:16So the move to West Brom does make sense on a season-long deal, but like we said, it leaves United very short of options in central midfield.
02:23They've got Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Ugarte, Cobby Maynou.
02:29But if you look at them, Mount and Fernandes prefer to play in the advanced roles.
02:34Ugarte and Casemiro both have doubts over their suitability to this United side.
02:39And Cobby Maynou, he's yet to sign a new contract extension.
02:42And there's also questions about whether he would be better as number 10 rather than in a central midfield role.
02:47Collier out on loan, Seca Kone obviously got a serious head injury in United's match with Tamworth on Wednesday night
02:53that was subsequently abandoned due to the severity of the injury and the fact there was no replacement ambulance.
02:59Jack Fletcher is maybe a player who could get opportunities in the first team this season then.
03:03He's trained with the United senior squad this week and he could be on the bench to face Arsenal this weekend.
03:09Jack Fletcher may be the United breakthrough star of the forthcoming season.
03:13But the headline news, Toby Collier joining West Brom on loan, United light in midfield
03:18as they continue to search for a new signing in the final two weeks and a bit of the Chancellor window.
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