According to reports, Manchester United are looking to bring in one of Chelsea’s young prodigies in an effort to help solve the team’s midfield problem.
Following the Reds’ emphatic victory at home against Brighton last Saturday, many of the players’ performances were praised, with one of the most celebrated players being Casemiro.
After facing heavy criticism from pundits and fans alike for some poor performances over the previous season, against Brighton, Casemiro seemed back to his old self again, putting in a top-class performance, earning himself a goal and an assist.
However, despite Casemiro’s brilliant performance being enough to dominate the midfield against Brighton, there is no guarantee the Brazilian will be able to continue this in the future, with him being 33 now and not getting any younger, whilst having a heavily physically demanding role to carry out in Ruben Amorim’s team.
This is partly the reason why United have reportedly turned their focus to prioritizing the midfield in the next summer transfer window, with a young Chelsea prospect catching the eyes of United scouts.
United reportedly weighing up summer move for Andrey Santos
According to Football Insider, United are currently plotting a summer move for young Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos from Chelsea in an effort to try and overhaul the team’s midfield.
Despite having one of the highest ceilings amongst a very talented young Chelsea squad, Santos has been struggling to get a sustained run in the team’s starting lineup.
This is largely due to the vast amount of top-class talent already scattered amongst the Chelsea squad in this position, with him having to compete with arguably the best defensive midfielder in the league this year, in Moises Caicedo, and World Cup winner Enzo Fernández.
With the young Brazilian only making four starts for Chelsea this season, with just two coming in the Premier League, United may see this as an opportunity to prise away one of the Blues’ best talents with the promise of game time and development.
On the other hand, it is clear that the London-based club wants to keep Santos, with the aforementioned report claiming that it would be ‘surprising’ if they sanctioned a deal to United.
United’s long-term midfield plans
The midfield pivot is a vital, yet very demanding part of Ruben Amorim’s system, as it requires two athletic players who are able to cover ground and win duels constantly as well as being able to progress the ball effectively.
Despite the recent positive performances of Casemiro, his long-term future at United is likely not seen as being a starter in the team due to his age and profile, as well as his current midfield partner, Bruno Fernandes, who seemingly is always brilliant wherever he plays, could be better suited to a more advanced role in the system going forward.
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To help combat this, United have repeatedly turned their focus next summer to identifying midfield targets that will be able to help Amorim’s team progress to its next stage on its journey back to making United a force in English football again.
As well as Santos, United have also identified several other midfield names that could be well-suited for what Amorim requires for his system to work, with some of these names including the likes of: Adam Wharton, Angelo Stiller, and Carlos Baleba.
With Santos now becoming one of the more concrete names United are reportedly looking at, it will be interesting to see what midfield moves the club will go on to carry out throughout the next summer transfer window.
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