/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fns-thumbnail-v2-email-sportmole-79-6a83f81b861ec174470633.jpg)
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live Manchester United transfer news blog on August 18!
Michael Carrick's squad have Hull City in their sights as they gear up for this weekend's opening 2026-27 Premier League fixture, likely with an identical squad to the one that lost 4-2 to AC Milan in their final friendly.
Stay entirely up to date with the latest Man United done deals and rumours with our social-led live blog below!
Today's Man United transfer headlines
Man United enter Bruno Fernandes talks amid Turkey interest
Barcelona back in for Marcus Rashford?
Man United transfer news today: What's happening on August 18?
The Fernandes saga produced two contrasting developments in quick succession: United supposedly confirmed that the Portugal international is not for sale at any price despite Galatasaray preparing a bid of approximately £43m plus add-ons with an offer to double his wages, only for a subsequent report to reveal that Fernandes is now said to be weighing up ending his career at Old Trafford through a contract extension.
Fernandes scored nine goals and produced 21 assists in 35 Premier League appearances in 2025-26, the latter figure representing a new all-time Premier League record, making the prospect of his departure extremely damaging for a club about to begin a Champions League campaign.
Fernandes's current contract expires in June 2027 with a one-year club option, meaning United must resolve his future within months to avoid the same leverage problem that has complicated the Rodri saga at City.
Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford's return to Barcelona on a permanent basis was raised as a genuine possibility, despite the Catalan giants initially opting not to take up their £26m option to buy the winger in favour of bringing in Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon.
A further striker discussion also emerged, with a 15-goal forward described in some quarters as a "Benjamin Sesko 2.0" profile identified as a potential addition, although major concerns were raised over United's pursuit of the Slovenian's supposed doppelganger.
Ahead of this weekend's showdown with Hull, the Red Devils are also said to be in talks to sell a fledgling midfielder who turned out for the Tigers on loan last season.
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F24%2F46%2Fben-knapton.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fdf11%2F28100266.png){kind=small}
Marcus Rashford
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fdf11%2F43124203.png){kind=small}
Bruno Fernandes
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F19%2F06%2Fmanlog.png){kind=small}
Manchester United
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fimago1081139188-6a8360592724e218417242.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F02%2Fsm-azzuu-ratcliffe-698df88c7a5e5917813748.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Filiman-ndiaye-duplicated-email-sportmole-6a80b1713f5aa292327234.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fimago1081194307-6a833d359a831646891248.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fns-thumbnail-v2-email-sportmole-80-6a83faea6c506251921092.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fbarcola-liverpool-boost-email-sportmole-6a83f9de3f86e777981542.png)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fimago1071820776-1-6a83f8b3457c0721902227.jpg)
/https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fns-thumbnail-v2-email-sportmole-78-6a83f59c81bd1612687076.jpg)