- Surprise 23-year-old has emerged as a possible signing for Manchester United
- Ex-Leeds United academy product
- Has played in France for the past two seasons
Toulouse centre-back Charlie Cresswell has reportedly emerged as a surprise target for Manchester United this summer. As the Reds look to bolster their defence this summer, they are casting a wider net, identifying cheaper defenders with great potential.
The 23-year-old is a former Leeds United academy product, but when he was not given the chance to break into the first team, the young Englishman managed just 13 appearances across three seasons—he set his sights on France, where he joined Toulouse for just €3 million (£2.6m).
Cresswell has impressed, making 60 appearances across two seasons for Toulouse, scoring eight goals from centre-back.
Finding value in France
Ben Jacobs has told The United Stand that Manchester United “really like” Cresswell and have placed him firmly among the profiles they are actively assessing. The English centre-back is “one of the profiles United are looking at.”
If Manchester United do swoop for Cresswell this summer, it would continue a recent trend of sourcing robust, high-upside additions from France.
In the summer of 2024, under INEOS’s revamped recruitment model, United committed £103 million to land Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte, signings that signalled a clear shift in direction.
Meanwhile, in addition to those first-team arrivals, United also moved to secure highly rated academy prospect Enzo Kana-Biyik from Le Havre for an undisclosed fee.
Whilst these three have had vastly different career trajectories at United thus far, it shows how United are still able to secure high-potential talent from other leagues.
In the case of Leny Yoro, Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth, who have both now left the club, worked aggressively to secure his signature despite the club’s eighth-place finish the previous season. A phone call from club legend Rio Ferdinand ultimately helped sway the Frenchman towards Manchester over Madrid.
Yoro has quickly established himself as one of Manchester United’s brightest talents and one of the most exciting young defenders in world football.
In 2025, he earned his first nomination for the Kopa Trophy, showing how much value the 20-year-old is already giving.
Could Cresswell Come?
If Jason Wilcox and Omar Berada are serious about making Cresswell a Red Devil, then they need to act fast.
Whilst his market value is just €15m (£13m), several Premier League clubs have already enquired about the Englishman. Crystal Palace tracked him closely in January, while Brighton saw a £24 million bid turned away.
Liverpool and Chelsea are both monitoring the situation, with both clubs interested in adding another young centre-back to their roster.
Whilst Cresswell could be a good addition to the Manchester United squad, the question is, do the Red Devils truly need him? The 23-year-old is elite at the back, making 6.3 clearances per game, whilst having a 64% success rate in the air.
But if there is one position that Manchester United are stocked on, it is centre-backs.
Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez and Tyler Fredricson make up United’s central defensive options.
Luke Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui have also stepped in at the back when required, something Ruben Amorim has leaned on during his time in charge.
The only reason United would be looking to add another addition to an already stacked position was if there were serious injury concerns over de Ligt and Martinez.
