The legendary player from Real Madrid is now Erik ten Hag’s weak link at Old Trafford, and the Red Devils are looking for a new captain.
“This is hard. According to Casemiro, this is the worst thing about not competing for titles. He told ESPN this after Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool. “Being 20 points behind the leader. I can’t always sleep because I want to change things. It’s the truth. We should not be thinking about the title or the Champions League spots right now. We need to focus on those games.
The Brazilian was dead on: United won’t win the league this season and are now 11 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. They won’t even make it back to Europe’s top club tournament. Despite this, he refused to admit that he was partly to blame for the Red Devils’ present situation. His lacklustre and boring performances have given fans a lot of sleepless nights.
Casemiro was a big reason why United won the Carabao Cup and came in third in the Premier League last season, but he’s clearly getting worse now, and at £70 million ($88m), he looks like one of the worst moves the club has ever made. The 32-year-old player still has two years left on his deal, but he was once again just a spectator as Liverpool controlled in midfield and sacked United’s goal on Sunday.
ESPN says that INEOS boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning a big change over the summer. Casemiro is one of 11 first-team players who could be sold. United needs a better player than the Real Madrid star who has been leaving their star player Kobbie Mainoo open. Luckily, there should be a lot of good choices available in the summer transfer window to choose from.
Joao Neves
If United can make a deal with Benfica for Joao Neves, they might pair Mainoo with another young star. The 19-year-old has had a great first full season with the first team at Estadio Da Luz. According to the Portuguese newspaper Record, the Red Devils want to sign him and have set aside €100 million (£85.7m/$107.8m) to do so.
Neves is already a very good centre defender. He’s great with the ball and uses his skillful shooting and passes to move Benfica forward all the time. This has won him a spot on the Portugal national team.
Neves’ skill was clear to see when he played for Roberto Martinez, and United captain Bruno Fernandes was excited about the idea of playing with his countryman at Old Trafford. In March, Fernandes said, “I don’t know if the United rumours are true, but I do know that he is ready for that big jump.” “He plays very well, and he’s on the national team.” That’s also why “big clubs” want him.
It would be a big risk for United to break their all-time trade record to get Neves, but it could pay off ten times over.
Amadou Onana
United was strongly linked with Amadou Onana in January, and they are likely to renew their interest when the transfer market reopens. Everton is likely to be willing to sell because they are still having money problems. The 22-year-old has been great for Everton during a rough patch since he moved there from Lille for £23m ($28m) in 2022. Barcelona is also said to be interested in him.
According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United is ready to pay £52m ($66m) to get Onana. Onana is a huge player with great athletic skills and the ability to read the game like a seasoned pro.
The Everton star told So Foot last month, “God willing, I see myself in one of the biggest clubs known around the world.” You can’t get much bigger than United, and the fact that he is so sure of himself is a good sign for his chances of doing well at Old Trafford, where character often wins out over skill alone.
Exequiel Palacios
Under Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen is having an amazing 2023–24 season. Exequiel Palacios has been the hidden star behind their success, working hard with Granit Xhaka to make a dangerous defence. The 25-year-old plays for Argentina and helped them win the 2022 World Cup. He is always looking for the ball and can open up games with his energy and imagination.
Sport Bild says that United has already made it clear that they want to sign Palacios. They could get him for the very low price of £34m ($43m), even though his deal with Leverkusen doesn’t expire until 2028.
Many people are excited about the idea of Palacios and Mainoo working together in the United engine room. However, it is still unclear whether the Leverkusen star will give up playing in the Champions League to help rebuild the team at Old Trafford, especially since Alonso has decided to stay put.
Morten Hjulmand
Most football fans won’t know who Morten Hjulmand is, but he’s quickly become an important player at Sporting since moving there from Lecce for €18m (£15m/$20m). The Sun says that United tried to make a deal with Sporting in the winter window to trade Facundo Pellistri for Hjulmand, but Sporting turned them down.
The 24-year-old’s £69m ($88m) release option means that Manchester United will have to pay that much to get him away from Sporting. At first glance, that price seems high, but he could be worth it. Hjulmand’s great play in the middle of the pitch has helped Sporting storm to the top of Liga Portugal. His tough style of play has spread to the rest of his team.
United has been missing a forward-thinking midfielder and natural leader for a while now. He also has Christian Eriksen, a fellow Danish player, as a “mentor,” which could help him get used to life in Manchester faster than the other players on this list.
Ederson
When most fans hear the name Ederson, they think of the stylish custodian for Manchester City. But that could be about to change. Many people think that his doppelganger will join Dorival Junior on the Brazilian national team. He has been a star player for Atalanta in Serie A for the past two seasons, and several Premier League teams are said to be interested.
United is said to be at the top of the list, and Ederson is seen as a straight replacement for Casemiro, who is getting old. The Red Devils already have a good relationship with Atalanta because they worked together to get Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund. Reports from Italy say Ederson could be available this summer for around €35m (£30m/$38m).
That price might turn out to be a good deal. The 24-year-old wouldn’t have any trouble getting used to the physical demands of the Premier League. He also plays in a straight way that could help United move forward as they start a new, potentially exciting era.
Joao Palhinha
Since moving from Sporting to Fulham in 2022, Joao Palhinha has become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. His fierce counter-pressing and ability to win the ball have earned him a lot of praise. The 28-year-old is a one-of-a-kind player who would fit right in with United’s team.
Marco Silva said in October that Palhinha was important to Fulham because of “his attitude, his commitment, and the way he leads the others around.” Both of these traits are rare in football. The Portuguese player has been Fulham’s most reliable player again this season. He has done a great job of recovering from a bad failed move to Bayern Munich, and he also likes to score important goals.
United was said to have been interested in Palhinha last summer, but they turned down Fulham’s £90m ($113m) offer. The Cottagers may be more open to a deal this time, though, because they want to give their best player a chance to play for a big club, and the Red Devils are ready to step up their pursuit again.
Ross Barkley
Most likely, Phil Foden, Virgil Van Dijk, and Bukayo Saka will compete for the 2023–24 PFA Player of the Year award. All three have done great work for teams that are trying to win the title, but there is also a guy working hard at the other end of the table who deserves praise. After a terrible time at Nice, Ross Barkley’s career seemed almost over. But Luton gave him a new start when they were promoted to the top level, and he’s been able to reinvent himself at Kenilworth Road.
Barkley has done well for the Hatters in a deeper role. They depend on the 30-year-old to break up play in the middle of the pitch and help them build their threats. Chelsea fans got used to seeing a player who was lacklustre and afraid to take risks. That player is no longer there; Barkley now demands the ball at all times and leads by example for his teammates.
Before Euro 2024, there is a lot of talk about how unlikely it is that England will call Barkley back up. This shows how important he is to Luton, and talkSPORT says Sir Jim Ratcliffe also really likes the former Chelsea player. This better Barkley could be very helpful to United, and the best part is that he wouldn’t cost them a dime since his one-year deal with Hatters ends this summer.
Joshua Kimmich
However, Joshua Kimmich, who plays for Bayern, is by no means the last player on this list. The famous quote from Hansi Flick, who led Bayern to the 2019–20 Champions League, praises Joshua Kimmich: “Joshua Kimmich is an absolute professional, a mentality monster.”
The Germany player can play anywhere in the middle of the pitch or in defence, and he has a great passing range. He is also very good at taking the ball back from the other team because he knows where the ball is and is determined. Because of these qualities, he is likely to be in high demand this summer.
Kimmich is getting close to the end of his deal at Bayern, who lost their top spot in the Bundesliga this season to Leverkusen. Old Trafford has been mentioned as a possible location for him.
The 28-year-old might be interested in a new task at United, and Louis Saha thinks he would solve a key problem for his old team. The striker who used to play for Manchester United recently told Betfred, “Kimmich would obviously be a great fit because he’s one of the fittest players in Europe, can run games, and is very smooth.”
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