Manchester United are ‘squeezing’ to sign a Barcelona star ‘ideal’ for Ruben Amorim’s system and ‘believe’ they can land him for £34.8m this summer.
The Red Devils completed early deals for Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon this summer before a long-drawn-out negotiation with Brentford saw them finally land Bryan Mbeumo.
United chiefs are currently scouring the market for a new No.9, but Amorim also wants to add a new midfielder to his ranks, despite being ‘prohibited’ in that move by Casemiro remaining at the club.
Manchester Evening News reported:
‘Well-placed sources say four intermediaries had a mandate to try and sell Casemiro, who has entered the last year of his United contract and earns around £300,000-a-week.
‘United would require a fee of £15million to avoid a loss on Casemiro under the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules but an offer is unlikely to be forthcoming.’
Despite that block, United are thought to be eyeing up Barcelona’s Marc Casado as a possible addition.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for the midfielderbut a report earlier this month claimed United have identified the La Masia graduate as a ‘key target’ with the Premier League side ‘preparing massive offer’ of €100m (£87m) for the midfielder.
The report claimed Casado is ‘viewed as an ideal long-term alternative to Manuel Ugarte’, and while it was at that point thought that the only way to sign the Spaniard was to trigger his €100m release clause as Barcelona would ‘prefer to retain’ the defensive midfielder, the Red Devils are now of a different mind according to Spanish outlet National.
The report claims Amorim sees the 21-year-old as ‘the ideal profile for his style of play’, with United ‘evaluating presenting a formal offer in August’, having hopefully moved on a number of their surplus stars.
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Barcelona’s ‘position is firm’ with Casado’s ‘sale not contemplated, at least not in the short term’, and ‘the player himself has no intention off leaving’ despite significant competition for a spot in the team.
But United ‘squeeze’ for his signing and ‘believe’ a €40m (£34.8) bid will be enough to convince both the player and club to sell.
The report adds:
‘Manchester United will not give up easily. Amorim is a coach who insists on the profiles he considers important for his system, and Casadó is one of them. At Old Trafford they think they can convince both the player and Barça with an offer close to 40 million euros, although they know that it will not be easy.
‘Meanwhile, Casadó continues to work with humility and ambition, aware that this may be the season that marks his definitive leap to the elite. In the club they see him as a natural relief for key positions in the midfield and a piece with a lot of future. United squeezes, but Barça and the player, for now, stand firm.’
