Casemiro’s announcement of his departure from Old Trafford has further highlighted Manchester United’s need for significant midfield reinforcements in the summer. They now look set to rival Premier League clubs for a potential Casemiro replacement.
After almost four years at the club, Casemiro announced that this season will be his last representing Manchester United after joining from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022.
Having won the Carabao Cup, where he scored the opening goal, and the FA Cup, the Brazilian believes that now is the right time for a new challenge ahead of a significant midfield revamp in the summer.
After enduring a tough 2023/24 campaign under former boss Erik ten Hag, the 33-year-old was pivotal in United’s run to the Europa League final last season, assisting three times in the club’s epic comeback against Lyon, while also scoring in both legs of the semi-final against Athletic Club.
In Michael Carrick’s first five games, Casemiro has looked back to his best, partnering brilliantly with Kobbie Mainoo in the midfield, and will look to give the Old Trafford faithful a parting gift of Champions League football next season, with his performances certainly putting the club in a great place to qualify.
United to rival Arsenal and Chelsea for Stankovic
With the 33-year-old being on a reported £350,000 per week, the club decided against extending the Brazilian’s contract, with the money being able to help fund United’s midfield revamp in the summer.
As INEOS have shifted the club’s transfer priorities to signing young talent and developing them at the club, they will likely replicate this when they search for new midfielders this summer.
According to TeamTalk, United are showing growing interest in signing 20-year-old midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic, who has become one of the most promising midfield talents in Europe after joining Club Brugge last summer.
The Serbian international is not short of suitors, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham also reportedly showing interest in signing the midfielder.
Like-for-like Casemiro replacement will be unlikely
The former Inter midfielder has enjoyed a breakout season in Belgium, scoring seven and assisting four goals in 37 appearances.
Much like Casemiro, Stankovic operates as a deep-lying playmaker, demonstrating technical quality and maturity beyond his years, calmly dictating play in the Belgian Pro League and the Champions League.
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Seen as a potential cheaper alternative to the likes of Carlos Baleba, the outlet reports that Stankovic is open-minded about his future, but a big sticking point comes in the fact that Inter included a buy-back clause when sanctioning his move to Brugge, which is active this summer and next summer.
A senior recruitment figure who has extensively tracked Stankovic compared the 20-year-old midfielder to a young Declan Rice, and with United having reportedly been interested in the Arsenal midfielder when he was at West Ham, they may not want to miss another chance of signing a midfielder with a similar profile when the opportunity comes around this summer.
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