While an FA Cup final triumph could well be the icing on the cake for Manchester United, even without a Wembley win it has already been a rather remarkable campaign for the Red Devils, with Erik ten Hag guiding the club to a third-place finish and securing Carabao Cup glory during his debut season at the helm.
Such a positive year hardly looked possible amid the early season defeats to the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, with that latter, 4-0 thrashing having no doubt had supporters fearing the worst at the time.
One key factor in the turnaround in fortunes from that grim day in west London was the subsequent £70m signing of Brazilian maestro, Casemiro from Real Madrid, with the experienced ace having reportedly stated his desire to "fix" United's problems after witnessing that defeat to the Bees.
The 31-year-old has seemingly gone on to do more than just that after emerging as a "massive player" for the club, according to Ten Hag, with the former Ajax boss also hailing his marquee summer signing as the "cement" in the side earlier in the campaign.
As club legend Gary Neville stated, one issue that has come about as a result of the midfielder's standout form is the drop in standards or quality when he has been rested or suspended this season, with the treble-winner stating that the "jump in Manchester United’s quality of performance is enormous" if the £350k-per-week titan is available for selection.
With there no suitable understudy for the five-time Champions League winner in Ten Hag's squad, it is no surprise that Ten Hag is believed to be eyeing a 'younger' midfield recruit ahead of next season, in order to provide increased depth and longevity.
Amid that need to find an ideal heir to Casemiro, the Old Trafford outfit could well have already identified a dream candidate in the form of Leeds United's, Tyler Adams.
Should Man United sign Tyler Adams?
According to Football Insider, the Red Devils are interested in prising the United States international from Elland Road, with a fee of around £35m having been suggested amid the Whites' recent return to the Championship.
As per 90min, the former RB Leipzig man – who only arrived in Yorkshire on a £20m deal last summer – is all but certain to be moving elsewhere ahead of next season following that drop into the second tier, with United believed to be among those ready to pounce.
While Adams did miss the final 12 games of the season through injury, prior to that the one-time Red Bull Salzburg ace had been a colossal presence at the base of the midfield for Leeds, having been described as a "tackling machine" by pundit, Kevin Campbell.
That ball-winning quality ensured that despite the American's lengthy absence, the £55k-per-week warrior still ended the season with the joint-fourth most tackles in the division (89), equalling the tally that was achieved by Casemiro.
That likeness between the pair is also showcased by the fact that while the current Old Trafford star averaged 3.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game from his 28 league appearances, Adams enjoyed a remarkably similar record after averaging 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions from his 24 league outings.
The pair also seem to share the ability to make an impact in an attacking sense too, as the Leeds "monster" – as described by analyst Alexi Lalas – averaged one key pass per game as a marker of his creative talent, while Casemiro also averaged one key pass per game.
Of course, Ten Hag won't be contemplating replacing the latter man any time soon, although it would undoubtedly be wise to secure some quality competition and cover in the form of his heir-apparent, Adams.
