According to Don Balon, Manchester United are interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
What’s the story?
Despite spending £40m on Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic during the summer transfer window, it is understood that United boss Jose Mourinho is still keen to boost his midfield options.
Ander Herrera has struggled to make his mark in the absences of Paul Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini, and it has been suggested that the Spaniard could move on at the end of the season.
According to Don Balon, Mourinho wants a world-class holding midfielder to play alongside Matic and Pogba, and has identified Real Madrid’s Casemiro as the perfect player to join the club.
The report has claimed that United would be willing to offer Casemiro a better salary than he currently collects at the Bernabeu as Mourinho continues to spend big in a bid to return the 20-time English champions to the top of European football.
Would Casemiro be worth the money?
The 25-year-old has been a first-team regular for Real Madrid since re-joining the club from Porto in the summer of 2015.
The 18-time Brazil international made 42 appearances in all competitions last season, and has managed two goals in 12 appearances for the Spanish giants this term.
Casemiro actually scored six times for Los Blancos during the 2016-17 campaign, whilst his style of football would certainly work well in the Premier League.
It seems unlikely that Real Madrid would sell the defensive midfielder without putting up a fight, but the chance to play in the Premier League might well turn his head.
United are well-stocked in midfield when everyone is fit, but the Red Devils do lack a world-class defensive midfielder that can get about the pitch, and Casemiro certainly fits the ball in that respect.
