Manchester United have made contact with Premier League rivals Liverpool about signing a ‘super talent’ for 2026.
Manchester United midfield search after Casemiro contract renewal
Casemiro’s contract expires in 2026, meaning the Red Devils and Ruben Amorim will be looking to refresh their midfield in the new year.
The Red Devils have the option to extend the Brazilian’s stay for another year, but that may not happen as Amorim and INEOS appear to be clashing behind the scenes over Casemiro.
Amorim believes he is still needed at Old Trafford, but bosses are asking for a pay cut in exchange for triggering an extension option until 2027, a move Man United’s breadwinner Casemiro is unlikely to accept.
rank | player | Total salary per week | annual gross salary |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Casemiro | £350,000 | £18.2m |
2 | Bruno Fernandes | 300,000 pounds | £15.6m |
3 | Matthijs de Ligt | 195,000 pounds | £10.14 million |
4 | harry maguire | £190,000 | 9.88 million pounds |
5 | Matheus Cunha | £180,000 | 9.36 million pounds |
Even if Casemiro remains in Manchester, United will undoubtedly need reinforcements in midfield, especially with Coby Mainu falling down the pecking order and Manuel Ugarte similarly falling out of favor under Amorim.
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United have made their first move towards signing AZ Alkmaar midfielder Keith Smit.
The Red Devils are looking to get ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign the £25m midfielder, with United’s director of recruitment Christopher Wivell tipping the scales for a move to Old Trafford.
“Everyone at AZ knows that Sumit is likely to attract offers and they are now willing to let him go for a fair price next summer.”
“The figure I’m hearing is £25m and I wouldn’t be surprised if the deal was initially agreed in January and then completed in the summer.
“Christopher Vivell has been discussing Smit internally for some time and has also contacted the player to discuss a possible move.”
Smit, who has been hailed as a “super talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already made 50 top-flight appearances for AZ Alkmaar and is attracting attention in the Netherlands.
Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman even compared the 19-year-old to Pedri, perhaps the best midfielder in the world right now.
“I almost regret saying his name (Pedri) again, but he’s a guy who plays in the same position. The way he looks away from the opponent, the way he scans the area, the way he plays with both feet… you saw that with Pedri as well. If he can get half of his career, we’ll be very happy in Holland.”
Forget Anderson: Manchester United in contract talks with ‘the world’s most underrated footballer’
Manchester United look set to make a big move to sign a new midfielder in January.
Able to play defensively or in advanced midfield in addition to his usual box-to-box role, Smit is likely to be a player to watch in 2026.
