Manchester United move to sign midfielder ‘Animal’

Confirmation that Casemiro’s departure from Manchester United is imminent has further highlighted the need for a new midfield signing, which is likely to be a priority area heading into the summer.

Michael Carrick’s side are one injury away from a real problem in that department, with Manuel Ugarte the only real replacement in midfield and although he is in the reserves, it seems almost certain that supporters will have to wait until next season to see their new signing line up in the centre.

As Ugarte’s case has shown, the Uruguayan has already been linked with a possible departure in 2026, making finding midfield solutions a real challenge in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, with Bruno Fernandes perhaps the only outstanding success story.

We’ve had players like Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Donny van de Beek and many more, but no one has really taken off and made a big impact on a consistent basis over the last decade or so.

There’s been a real lack of midfield anchors and metronomes, especially since Carrick himself retired in 2018, but will that all change this year?

Man United move to sign mid-La Liga star

With the arrival of Casemiro and the likely arrival of Ugarte, at least two new midfielders are needed this summer, leaving former manager Ruben Amorim quite short in the center of the park this season.

By all accounts, one of Elliott Anderson, Adam Wharton or Carlos Baleva will be a target for INEOS next season, with United already agreeing a personal deal with the latter last summer.

That said, it appears the Red Devils’ shortlist is not solely focused on Premier League targets, with reports suggesting the Old Trafford side could also look to La Liga in search of the perfect replacement.

Indeed, according to reports in Spain, INEOS have named Barcelona star Marc Casado as one of their priority targets for the summer, alongside the likes of Joao Gomez and Wharton.

The report suggests that United have made a move to sign the 22-year-old, but some believe that United have an advantage over Atletico Madrid given their “financial power”.

The young Spaniard is said to still have his heart set on staying at Camp Nou, but the Red Devils are waiting to make an “offer” to entice him to leave.

Why Casado could be Manchester United’s new Carrick

Some may shudder at the prospect of United negotiating for the Barcelona midfielder following the 2022 turmoil surrounding Frenkie de Jong.

In Erik ten Hag’s first summer in charge, the Dutchman was keen to bring his compatriot to Manchester to act as a deep-rooted orchestrator in front of the back four, but de Jong ultimately stayed after an agreement was reached between the clubs.

United then pivoted to a different midfielder profile in Casemiro, a ball-winning machine, and the aforementioned Ugarte joined in 2024 as an all-action, artisan-like asset with a similar style.

But where is the guy who can step up to the ball and keep things rolling?

Koby Mainu may have recently burst through the academy ranks, but Carrick has previously suggested he views the 20-year-old as an “attacker” rather than a holding midfielder.

There is still a Carrick-style, de Jong-style hole in that No. 6 spot, and if INEOS can convince him to leave the Catalan delight, bringing someone like Casado to the table could be a wise move.

The 22-year-old has more silk than steel, including a natural ball-playing ability, recently described by Spain teammate Brian Zaragoza as being like an “animal”.

Often deployed as the deepest point in midfield, Casado actually gets things going, losing the ball just five times per game while averaging an excellent passing accuracy of 91% in La Liga this season, according to Sofascore.

For comparison, Casemiro currently has a passing rate of just 82% in the Premier League and has lost the ball an average of 9.1 times per game this season.

Casado, who has yet to score in a league game this season, is neither flashy nor likely to grab the headlines, but Carrick also lacked the panache, despite insisting he has no choice but to win in a United shirt.

At times overlooked and undervalued, the former England international’s stock has probably risen in his absence, with Manchester City manager Josep Guardiola describing him as “one of the best holding midfielders I’ve ever seen in my life” in his later years at Old Trafford.

There was a pleasing simplicity to his game, one that was undoubtedly shared by Casado.

The two are also similar in that they always try to make precise and progressive passes, with Casado comfortably ranking in the top 9% of midfielders in terms of forward pass success rate this season.

This may be quite a left-field signing given United’s string of Premier League-capable targets, but if INEOS is the successor to Carrick they are looking for, the Barca man could perhaps be the perfect fit.