{"id":47485,"date":"2026-05-21T20:36:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T00:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T20:36:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T00:36:51","slug":"manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"Manchester United in new talks over \u00a334m &#8216;phenomenon&#8217; contract"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract\/#Manchester_United_begin_new_negotiations_over_34m_deal_to_replace_Casemiro\" >Manchester United begin new negotiations over \u00a334m deal to replace Casemiro<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract\/#Comparison_of_Danilo_and_Baleva_in_Manchester_Uniteds_midfield_search\" >Comparison of Danilo and Baleva in Manchester United&#8217;s midfield search<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/manchester-united-in-new-talks-over-34m-phenomenon-contract\/#He_wipes_the_floor_with_Baleva_Manchester_United_hold_talks_to_sign_70m_midfielder\" >He wipes the floor with Baleva: Manchester United hold talks to sign \u00a370m midfielder<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Manchester United are looking for a midfielder and there is no one better suited to lead their pursuit than Michael Carrick, the English player who won a number of major accolades during a glittering 12-year playing career at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>Carrick, who signed for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006, inherited Roy Keane&#8217;s number 16 shirt following his acrimonious departure a year earlier, and is no stranger to the effort to fill the legendary veteran midfielder&#8217;s place.<\/p>\n<p>    Twenty years on, Carrick &#8211; expected to be announced as United&#8217;s next permanent manager &#8211; will be tasked with overseeing a similar transition this summer, although the departure of Casemiro, 34, will leave a sizeable hole for next season.<\/p>\n<p>The nine-goal Brazilian continued his fine form in last week&#8217;s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, but the search for his replacement has already begun.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"man-utd-in-fresh-talks-to-sign-pound-34m-casemiro-replacement\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manchester_United_begin_new_negotiations_over_34m_deal_to_replace_Casemiro\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Manchester United begin new negotiations over \u00a334m deal to replace Casemiro<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Perhaps the most obvious candidate to feature alongside Koby Mainu is Carlos Baleva, with a deal for the 22-year-old already being considered for the summer of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>    Personal terms were agreed at this point, but Brighton &#038; Hove Albion&#8217;s offer plus \u00a3100m proved to be prohibitive, setting the stage for a late window deal.<\/p>\n<p>Amid talk of INEOS pursuing a move ahead of the World Cup, the Cameroonian is by all accounts back on the agenda, but further targets are also being planned.<\/p>\n<p>    Indeed, reports in Brazil via SportWitness claim that United have made &#8220;new inquiries&#8221; regarding a transfer for Botafogo star Danilo and have been in repeated contact regarding signing the 25-year-old.<\/p>\n<p>The former Nottingham Forest midfielder revived his career in his home country and has since been named in Carlos Ancelotti&#8217;s World Cup squad, which could further raise his profile.<\/p>\n<p>    Botafogo want to prove that to be the case and are reportedly seeking around 40 million euros (approximately 3.4 billion yen) in transfer fees this summer.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-danilo-compares-to-baleba-in-man-utd-midfield-search\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_of_Danilo_and_Baleva_in_Manchester_Uniteds_midfield_search\"><\/span>\n                        <strong>Comparison of Danilo and Baleva in Manchester United&#8217;s midfield search<\/strong><br \/>\n               <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether related or not, United&#8217;s interest in Baleva comes after a difficult season at the Amex, with the youngster struggling to find consistency under manager Fabian H\u00fcrzeler.<\/p>\n<p>He has been substituted three times, particularly at half-time, in the first seven Premier League games of the season, but has only started 23 games so far before United&#8217;s final game against Brighton.<\/p>\n<p>His extended stint on international duty at AFCON has been a factor in his limited involvement, but the left-footer appears to have endured something of a setback at a time when he had every chance of reaching new heights.<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-container\">\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"1\" cellspacing=\"1\" style=\"\" align=\"\" summary=\"\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th colspan=\"3\" scope=\"col\" style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Baleva &#8211; 24\/25 vs 25\/26<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>24\/25<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Statistics (*per game)<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>25\/26<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>34<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>game<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>30<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>3<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>the goal<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>1<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>assist<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>0.6<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Key pass*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>88%<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Pass accuracy*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>86%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>8.0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Ball lost*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>5.5<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>2.3<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Tackle*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>1.2<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>1.4<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Intercept*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>0.9<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>5.8<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Recovery rate*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>3.3<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p><strong>55%<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>Total Win Duels*<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align:center\">\n<p>49%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<p>As for Danilo, the Brazilian has recovered from a late injury during his time at Forest and has once again emerged as a star in his current team, being hailed as a &#8220;phenomenon&#8221; by experts in his home country.<\/p>\n<p>For example, in just 12 league games so far in Brazil&#8217;s top flight in 2026, the \u00a334m-rated sensation has already scored seven goals and provided two assists, proving to be a box-destroying threat in a fluid No. 8 slot.<\/p>\n<p>    Due to his attacking intent, the left-footer creates five &#8216;big chances&#8217; and averages 1.8 key passes per game, often seeking progressive forward passes from deep.<\/p>\n<p>Such attacking quality is crucial now that Carrick and INEOS need to replace Casemiro, with the former Real Madrid man scoring nine goals in the league this season, creating four &#8216;big chances&#8217; and averaging 1.1 key passes per game.<\/p>\n<p>    It must be said that there is a distinct lack of such end product in Baleva&#8217;s game, as the former Lille star is yet to register a single goal or assist in a league match in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n<p>He also only created one &#8220;big chance&#8221; and averaged just 0.2 key passes per game, keeping things tidy rather than trying to probe with sharp, penetrating passes.<\/p>\n<p>The same was true last season, when Valeva averaged just 0.6 key passes, created just three &#8220;big chances&#8221; and scored and assisted just four times.<\/p>\n<p>Danilo is no slouch when in possession, averaging 5.2 ball recoveries per game, which is also higher than Valeva&#8217;s average of just 3.3 this season.<\/p>\n<p>    The South American has made 62 appearances in English football, scoring 10 goals and providing an assist, and is not necessarily a big risk for INEOS, as Danilo could be a bargain and Baleva could be an upgrade this summer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"wipes-the-floor-with-baleba-man-utd-hold-talks-to-sign-sandro-tonali\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                        <\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"He_wipes_the_floor_with_Baleva_Manchester_United_hold_talks_to_sign_70m_midfielder\"><\/span>\n<p>\t\t\tHe wipes the floor with Baleva: Manchester United hold talks to sign \u00a370m midfielder<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">Strengthening the midfield is key for Manchester United this summer.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Manchester United are looking for a midfielder and there is no one better suited to lead their pursuit than Michael Carrick, the English player who won a number of major accolades during a glittering 12-year playing career at Old Trafford. Carrick, who signed for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006, inherited Roy Keane&#8217;s number [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[8098,876,40,106,2570,488,107],"class_list":["post-47485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-34m","tag-contract","tag-football","tag-manchester","tag-phenomenon","tag-talks","tag-united"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47485"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47485\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}