Caleb Yirenkyi: United set stance on move for Ghanaian midfielder

Manchester United have placed FC Nordsjaelland’s Caleb Yirenkyi on their expanding midfield shortlist as the club accelerate plans to refresh the engine room ahead of a possible Champions League return, TEAMtalk understands.

The 20-year-old Ghanaian, a graduate of the Right to Dream Academy, is enjoying a breakthrough season in the Danish Superliga with two goals and five assists in 22 starts, performances that have now attracted a trio of Premier League heavyweights. Arsenal, Chelsea and United all dispatched scouts to Nordsjaelland’s weekend fixture, with United director of football Jason Wilcox personally instructing talent spotters to maintain a running dossier on the player.

United’s interest forms part of a dual-track recruitment model sanctioned by interim boss Michael Carrick, who has re-energised the squad with four straight wins since taking the reins last month. While senior targets such as Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Newcastle’s Elliot Anderson remain under active consideration, the club are simultaneously scouring Europe for younger, high-ceiling prospects capable of growing into title-contributing regulars.

Yirenkyi fits that profile. Inside Nordsjaelland, staff already regard the powerful box-to-box midfielder as their next major sale, with internal comparisons to former Ghana great Michael Essien centred on his blend of athleticism, ball-winning acumen and forward passing. His ability to deputise at right-back for the national side adds tactical flexibility that appeals to Premier League analytics departments conscious of squad-depth demands.

Any deal, however, will require a significant outlay. Nordsjaelland rejected a €15 million approach in January and, with the player contracted until 2030, officials are braced for offers north of €25 million – a figure that would shatter the club’s transfer record. Brighton are best placed to drive up the price after identifying Yirenkyi as a potential successor to Baleba, should the Seagulls lose the Frenchman to Old Trafford.

For United, the need for midfield reinforcements is pressing. Casemiro has already signalled his intention to leave, while Manuel Ugarte’s long-term future remains unresolved and captain Bruno Fernandes turns 32 in September. Carrick’s rejuvenated side currently sit in the Champions League qualification places, and securing elite-level European football would swell the summer budget, allowing United to move decisively for primary and secondary targets.

Whether Yirenkyi is viewed as immediate competition or a long-term partner for emerging star Kobbie Mainoo will depend on how the season concludes, but the Ghanaian’s name is now firmly on the whiteboard at Carrington as United map out the next phase of their rebuild.