Yaya Touré has revealed the four Premier League players who have caught his eye this season; notably, three of them have recently been linked with a potential move to Manchester United ahead of 2026.
While United made five additions over the summer, there are already signs that manager Ruben Amorim is laying the groundwork for more signings early next year.
The club missed out on Carlos Baleba from Brighton during the last window, but since then, a number of midfielders have come onto their radar. Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand is among those being considered.
The midfield looks like an area still needing reinforcements at Old Trafford. Amorim has been using Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro as a double pivot, leaving Kobbie Mainoo starting games on the bench.
United are also looking at other areas beyond midfield. The wing-back spots remain under review and there is a real need for more depth up front.
Benjamin Sesko stands alone as the only natural centre-forward in the squad. That situation is likely to change in 2026, especially if Joshua Zirkzee moves on after losing his spot in the pecking order.
Yaya Toure highlights three Manchester United targets
During his time at Manchester City, Yaya Toure made a name for himself as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League. He joined from Barcelona in 2010 and quickly became a key player.
After leaving City, Toure had short spells with Olympiacos and Qingdao Huanghai before moving into coaching.
He is now working as an assistant coach with the Saudi Arabia national team.
This season, Toure has spoken about four Premier League players who have caught his eye, with three of them linked to moves to United.
The trio includes Adam Wharton, Antoine Semenyo, and Elliot Anderson.
Wharton recently received praise from Roy Keane, while Rio Ferdinand once likened him to Michael Carrick.
Anderson has emerged as another option for United following their unsuccessful move for Baleba.
Finally, Semenyo is seen as a valuable addition given his status as one of the league’s top attacking talents. His versatility is another factor in his favour. He could fill three different roles if he were to join United.
Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo was the fourth player Toure named.
Yaya Toure’s Man Utd encounters
Toure faced United 18 times in his playing career.
Three of those meetings came while he was at Barcelona, including the 2009 Champions League final, where the Spanish club beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s side 2-0.
He finished with eight wins from those matches, along with six defeats and four draws.
The standout moment for Toure against United came when he scored the only goal in Manchester City’s 1-0 win over the Red Devils in the FA Cup semi-final, which paved the way for City to end their long wait for a trophy.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
