As they continue to work on deals to sign Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee, Manchester United could be set to lose one of Erik ten Hag’s most experienced players with talks reportedly opened.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils have taken their time in getting going this summer, but after extending Ten Hag’s contract, they turned straight to reinforcements in the form of De Ligt and Zirkzee. Whilst those respective deals are yet to be confirmed, all signs are pointing towards at least the latter arriving to hand those at Old Trafford a much-needed attacking boost this summer.
Zirkzee starred for Bologna last season as they shocked Serie A to qualify for the Champions League. Now, the young Dutchman looks set to swap Italy for Old Trafford and the chance to add the spark that the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony failed to provide for Ten Hag last season.
What’s more, at just 23 years old, Manchester United are also getting a player seemingly only destined to get even better. But as Zirkzee arrives, an experienced member of their squad could be on his way out.
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The Red Devils have set their sights on another defender…
According to L’Equipe, Al Ittihad have opened talks to sign Casemiro from Manchester United in a deal that would see the midfielder call it quits at Old Trafford after two contrasting seasons. The Brazilian endured a campaign to forget last time out, in which Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher called on him to end what became a Premier League nightmare.
Carragher said on Sky Sports via 90Min after Manchester United’s humiliating 4-0 thrashing by Crystal Palace: “I said at half-time he [Erik ten Hag] has got to bring Casemiro off, I know he’s got kids on the bench.
“But I think Casemiro, deadly serious, should know tonight as an experienced player that he should only have another three games left at the top level, the next two league games and the cup final, and then he should be thinking, ‘I need to go to the MLS or Saudi’. I’m deadly serious. His agent, the team of people around him, they need to tell him, ‘this has to stop’.”
Now, the former Real Madrid man, who cost United a reported £70m in 2022 and earns a reported £350k-a-week, could follow Carragher’s advice by completing a summer departure to Saudi Arabia.
“Aggressive” Casemiro needs summer exit
As harsh as Carragher was, his verdict was right last season. Casemiro struggled to match the pace of the Premier League in what is quite the fall from the defensive colossus that won everything there is to win at Real Madrid. At 32 years old, he’s unlikely to return to that level with things, instead, only likely to get worse at Old Trafford at such an intense level.
Once described as “aggressive” by Manchester City legend Pablo Zabaleta, Casemiro needs a summer exit more than most at Old Trafford in an attempt to avoid ending his career in the face of critical headlines. As Kobbie Mainoo emerges too, United already have a ready-made replacement lined up.
