With the conversation on the defense complete, the staff and Woodward shifted focus to the midfield.
"Let's be honest," Tiger started. "We're in trouble there."
Scholes nodded. "Carrick is going to carry the entire midfield now that I've retired. Fletcher won't be back until at least the winter break. Anderson… we know he's unreliable. And Cleverley? He's not strong enough. He disappears in big games."
Woodward interjected. "Everton's Moyes has high hopes for him. He's open to a loan with a buyout clause. We've got a good professional relationship with Everton due to Jazz, so we could consider that if they actually plan to use him."
"Moyes also wants Januzaj," Phelan added. "He thinks he's a star in the making."
Tiger leaned forward. "We're open to leasing Cleverley, but only with a buyout clause. Januzaj? No way. Youth shouldn't be sold cheaply."
Phelan nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. We can't make the same mistakes we did with Pogba. We let him slip for nothing, and now look where he is."
Eric Steele then spoke up. "We should consider selling Anderson. He's never been consistent, his fitness is an issue, and he's more of a liability than an asset at this point."
Tiger rubbed his chin. "I get it. But look at our midfield—Carrick is aging, Giggs isn't a full-time midfielder, Fletcher is unavailable, and Kagawa plays a more advanced role. The only reinforcement we have so far is Kante, and he's a defensive midfielder. We need to be careful about depth."
Scholes sighed. "Anderson's been given more chances than most. We all wanted him to succeed, but it's been six years of the same story."
Woodward looked through his contacts. "No one is interested in Anderson."
Phelan and Steele exchanged glances "We need the bench strength. He was a starter last year."
Steele and Phelan then suggested another move. "Nick Powell should go on loan. Wigan Athletic is interested. He needs regular game time."
Tiger agreed. "Fine. He's got talent, but he needs to develop. Set it up."
The room fell silent for a moment before Scholes spoke again. "We need to sign someone. Carrick can't do this alone, and Kante is still young and adjusting. If we don't bring in another midfielder, we're gambling on too many variables."
Woodward sighed. "We're working on targets, but the market isn't great. The top clubs are locking down their midfielders. But we'll explore options."
Tiger leaned back, exhaling. "Let's take a look at the targets."
With midfield issues laid out, the staff turned their attention to available free agents.
"Any midfielders worth considering on a free transfer?" Tiger asked.
Woodward read from his notes. "There are a few, but each comes with issues. None of them can organize both attack and defense."
Scholes leaned back. "Let's hear them."
Woodward listed them out:
"Éver Banega—technically gifted, deep-lying playmaker, but inconsistent."
"Mahamadou Diarra—experienced defensive midfielder, but past his prime."
"Florent Malouda—versatile winger who can play midfield, but not an ideal fit centrally."
"David Mendes da Silva—strong defensive midfielder, but not world-class."
"Zdravko Kuzmanović—decent Serie A experience, but not an elite option."
"Juan Román Riquelme—a legend, but aging and unsuited for the Premier League's pace."
Eric Steele shook his head. "None of them convince me. We're looking at short-term fixes at best."
Tiger tapped his fingers on the table. "If Mahrez and Martial can solidify their spots on the wings, we can still have Giggs rotate in midfield. But we need more options."
Scholes frowned. "We're gambling on depth here. If Carrick gets injured, we're in serious trouble."
Woodward sighed. "Then we need to push for a serious midfield signing before the window shuts."
The room fell silent for a moment before Tiger stood up. "Then let's make it happen. We can't afford to be weak in the middle of the park."
Tiger leaned forward. "We should be looking at cheap but capable midfielders. We don't have unlimited funds, and we also need to reinforce our attack. Who's available?"
"Let's look at the other targets set up by the scouts," replied Woodward, flipping through his notes. "With the sales of Evans, Evra, Anderson, Buttner, Cleverley, and Bébé bringing in funds, we have a decent budget to reinforce the midfield."
Eric Steele cleared his throat. "Our scouting team has compiled a list of affordable midfielders. There aren't a lot of world-class names available on the cheap, but there are some interesting options."
Woodward nodded and read out the names, "Let's start with Leroy Fer from Twente. Strong, box-to-box midfielder, solid defensively and physically imposing. Available for €5 million."
Steele shrugged. "He's more of an engine than a playmaker. Good for physicality, but not a Carrick-type."
"Next," Woodward said, scanning the list, "Jordy Clasie from Feyenoord—a deep-lying playmaker, composed on the ball, excellent passer, and available for about €6 million."
Scholes perked up. "Now that's interesting. He's a smart player, very tidy in possession. Could develop well under Carrick's guidance."
Tiger nodded. "Put a star next to his name. We'll come back to him."
Woodward glanced at another name. "Etienne Capoue from Toulouse. Defensive midfielder, strong tackler, can cover ground well. Spurs are interested, but he's available for €8-10 million."
"Then there's Ignacio Camacho from Málaga," Woodward added. "Another defensive midfielder, Spanish, tough, disciplined. Could be available for €6-7 million due to Málaga's financial issues."
Tiger leaned back. "Not bad. If we need another defensive presence, he's an option."
Scholes then pointed to another name. "Kevin Strootman from PSV. Roma is chasing him, but if we move quickly, we might get him for around €15-17 million. He's expensive, but quality."
Phelan sighed. "That's nearly double the others on this list. We need to be careful about overspending."
Tiger tapped his fingers on the table. "We need to balance between quality and price. Banega and Clasie could give us creativity. Fer or Camacho could give us strength. Strootman is the ideal choice, but he's costly."
Woodward made a note. "I'll start preliminary talks with Feyenoord for Clasie and check if Banega is actually available. If we need muscle, I'll see if Camacho can be a bargain."
Tiger nodded. "We move fast. We can't go into the season with just Carrick and question marks."
With a plan in place, the staff moved on to finalize their shortlist, knowing that the right midfield addition could define their season.