No one of a Manchester United persuasion will be counting their chickens just yet, but it's looking like it could well be a rare, serene summer at Old Trafford, following the chaos of previous years.

While incoming business was carried out effectively in 2025, there remained the ongoing distraction of Ruben Amorim's so-called 'bomb squad', as well as the saga surrounding Bruno Fernandes' potential move to Saudi Arabia.

All being well, the skipper's future will not be a talking point this time around, amid speculation surrounding a contract extension, with the Premier League's Player of the Year for 2025/26 still so vital to the cause in Manchester.

At 31, however, the Portuguese genius won't be able to go on forever, with a succession plan needing to be put in place. Mateus Fernandes looks primed for that role, although he might not be the only target on the agenda.

Man Utd in the race to sign big-money Mateus Fernandes alternative

With United seemingly unwilling to join the bidding for Manchester City-bound, Elliot Anderson, focus has largely been shifted toward West Ham United's Fernandes in recent days and weeks.

Following the Hammers' drop into the Championship, there is a deal there to be had as far as INEOS are concerned, even with the relegated side currently demanding a fee of around £85m-£80m.

The 21-year-old, encouragingly, is said to be keen to make the switch, with an early move potentially on the cards following his omission from Portugal's World Cup squad.

Another man who is also having to watch on from afar this summer is Morgan Gibbs-White, with TEAMtalk reporting that Michael Carrick's side are also among the clubs interested in the Nottingham Forest talisman.

The report suggests that United, alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea, have all shown interest in recent months, while a raft of elite European clubs have also lodged enquiries.

Forest, unsurprisingly, don't wish to sell, with it likely to take an 'extraordinary offer' if any suitor is to secure his signature. Indeed, the Midlands outfit could potentially demand a figure beyond the £120m asking price for the aforementioned Anderson.

Why Gibbs-White would be a big upgrade on Mateus Fernandes

Schooled at Sporting CP, there is a very real sense that Mateus Fernandes could be the next Bruno Fernandes in waiting, with his ability to feature both as a number eight or playmaking number ten ensuring he would be a worthy successor to his stellar compatriot.

That being said, it is perhaps Gibbs-White who is the "most similar player to Bruno" in the Premier League, in the view of one notable analyst, with the Englishman representing a clear upgrade on the West Ham starlet.

Anderson, part of Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, might be the star attraction at Forest right now, but it is Gibbs-White who is the true, Bruno-style talisman, proving the real difference-maker as his side surged their way to survival.

The fact that Gibbs-White was overlooked by Tuchel remains a bone of contention considering that he was the highest-scoring English player in the division last season, rounding things off with 15 goals for a struggling outfit.

For all the turbulence of a season that saw Forest employ four different permanent managers, the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man remained a class above, notably netting six goals in the last five league games of the campaign.

That included a delightful, deft finish in the 3-2 thriller against Carrick's men at Old Trafford, the playmaker diverting Anderson's cross into the far corner past a helpless Senne Lammens.

The man with the armband at the City Ground, Gibbs-White really does boast that Bruno-style, talismanic quality, the man who so often bails his side out of trouble when it matters.

A versatile, fleet-footed figure who can operate as a number ten, a number eight or as a left-winger, the Forest skipper would represent a clear upgrade on young Mateus Fernandes, such is his devastating end product.

In all, he ended 2025/26 with 19 goals and assists in the league alone, having previously registered 15 goal involvements the year prior.

For comparison, while Fernandes' age must be taken into account, the 21-year-old only registered seven goals and assists last season, after previously recording just six goal involvements during his soltiary campaign at Southampton.

Across those two years, Gibbs-White also notably created 15 'big chances' as a sign of his sustained impact, while young Fernandes created only nine, twice suffering relegation to boot.

The West Ham starlet is a talent, undoubtedly, but Gibbs-White has proven his quality over an extended period now in the Premier League, ensuring he would represent a dream signing for the Carrick regime.