Man Utd midfield transfer plan after sticking to their guns over Mateus Fernandes

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Manchester United must now look elsewhere in their pursuit of midfield reinforcements after refusing to match Tottenham's £85million bid for West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes - who has now moved to north London.

Spurs have sealed a deal for the 21-year-old having agreed to meet the Hammers' valuation - something United were not prepared to do. It means the Old Trafford club have now missed out on their top two targets this summer, following Manchester City's £116million deal with Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson.

United have already secured a £35million deal to bring Ederson in from Atalanta, but still require an elite midfielder to bolster their squad following Casemiro's departure at the end of last season.

Here is where they could look next, and who remains on their shortlist after missing out on both Anderson and Fernandes.

United have had the Bournemouth midfielder on their radar for much of this season, though his stock has risen considerably as other targets have slipped through their fingers.

Scott boasts Premier League pedigree and delivered an exceptional campaign with the Cherries, earning himself a place in England's pre-World Cup training camp. His impressive performances have reportedly also caught the eye of Arsenal .

Bournemouth are eager to secure the former Bristol City player on fresh terms this summer and may insert a release clause, mirroring the approach taken with Antoine Semenyo a year ago. Semenyo subsequently moved to Manchester City midway through the campaign, but United's urgent need for midfield cover means they may be unable to delay.

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The France international represents the most high-profile name on the list and is someone United have been monitoring for several months, having learned that a departure from Real Madrid this summer isn't out of the question.

Real officials continue to maintain he will stay put, despite an altercation with captain Federico Valverde towards the close of last season. Jose Mourinho also wishes to retain the Frenchman.

United would enter the race should Tchouameni become available, but that doesn't appear likely at present. However, should Real secure a big-money midfielder this summer the circumstances could shift.

Baleba is arguably the third midfielder United have walked away from owing to a steep asking price within the past year. They showed interest in signing him 12 months ago, but were deterred by Brighton's £100m valuation.

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They retain interest in Baleba but there has been scant sign of progress thus far this summer. Despite the 22-year-old experiencing a challenging season in Sussex, Brighton have not substantially reduced their asking price for a transfer.

The interest in Wharton has cooled considerably. The England international has attracted numerous suitors, but at Old Trafford, there is a belief that he bears too much resemblance to Kobbie Mainoo to operate alongside him in a two-man midfield.

United, as well as other clubs, will also be put off by the premium prices being put on these types of players. City's £116m deal for Anderson has certainly driven up the market, which was reflected in the Hammers wanting £85m for Fernandes. Crystal Palace will see Wharton in that bracket and no doubt want a similar fee.

Nmecha has a fan within Carrington in director of football Jason Wilcox, who played a significant role in City's academy during Nmecha's 14-year spell at the club as a youngster.

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The Borussia Dortmund player is someone multiple Premier League sides have monitored, with United said to be amongst them, but his World Cup campaign concluded with a half-time substitution as Germany fell to Paraguay on penalties and his impact diminished throughout the competition.

United registered an interest in Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali earlier this summer, but have thus far demonstrated no appetite to rival Tottenham for his services - who look set to hit the £100m mark for the Italian. At the more affordable end of the market, they have also assessed Fulham's Sander Berge and USA midfielder Tyler Adams, who features alongside Scott for Bournemouth.