Casemiro move ‘is Manchester United all over’

Guests on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro League podcast have been discussing Manchester United’s move for Casemiro and the issues it poses.

The 30-year-old Brazilian midfielder would become one of the club’s top earners if he decided to join the side currently bottom of the Premier League after two matches.

“It is a surprise move first of all,” said Guillem Balague.

“If you think of football reasons for it, do you want a holding midfielder that lives on the edge of the box much more comfortably than in open spaces when actually your manager wants to pressure high and dynamism and quick transitions? I’m not sure Casemiro is your man.

“And yet after the defeat against Brentford, a call was made to Real Madrid and to Casemiro. There have been meetings and the stage we’re in is that conversations are progressing.

“I think Manchester United are surprised the doors are open from Real Madrid that will accept 70m euros and from Casemiro, who will double his wages. It will give him two more years on his contract from 2025 to 2027 – he’s 30 years old.

“It’s Manchester United all over isn’t it, this story?”

Raphael Honigstein added: “I think you can be reactive and still make a good signing so I wouldn’t hold it against them that they’ve started this late and that they have done this maybe in reaction to defeat.

“But my question is the same as Guillem’s – where does he fit in? If you play two midfielders and then a number 10 in front, you can’t have somebody who is out-and-out destructive if you are Manchester United. At Real Madrid it’s a different set-up.

“It does solve part of the problem, but it doesn’t really address the biggest issue which is what do you do with the ball when you have it? How do you progress it? How do you keep that rhythm that United don’t seem to have in midfield?

“As a player you can’t argue against his quality, he will help. But as far as helping Ten Hag with his vision of how this team wants to play and having a set-up that works collectively, it does pose a few questions”.

What do you make of United’s move for Casemiro? Would he be a good fit under Erik ten Hag? Have your say here