[Nathan Salt] Why Casemiro is giving Man United a major headache: Nathan Salt names the SEVEN transfer targets lined up to replace in-form star – as team-mates call for him to stay
by nearly_headless_nic
![[Nathan Salt] Why Casemiro is giving Man United a major headache: Nathan Salt names the SEVEN transfer targets lined up to replace in-form star - as team-mates call for him to stay](https://www.eucup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Gsv8zvOVVxuMXL-hiX3p1e1aylPbsXnGKs6UURPOThk-1024x576.jpeg "[Nathan Salt] Why Casemiro is giving Man United a major headache: Nathan Salt names the SEVEN transfer targets lined up to replace in-form star – as team-mates call for him to stay")
[Nathan Salt] Why Casemiro is giving Man United a major headache: Nathan Salt names the SEVEN transfer targets lined up to replace in-form star – as team-mates call for him to stay
by nearly_headless_nic
33 Comments
**From the article:**
**’I’d prefer he didn’t go,’ captain Bruno Fernandes told DAZN in the tunnel afterwards. From multiple players Daily Mail Sport has spoken to since news of Casemiro’s exit was confirmed, the feeling is mutual in the dressing room.**
But **Daily Mail Sport understands talk of a u-turn is more emotional than anything else. His exit was a club call and not one anyone at United expects to be reneged on despite this final flourish to the captain**, with MLS seen as an eventual landing spot for the Brazilian.**Central midfielders are the top priority for United** having put all their eggs in one basket to fix their attack last summer.
**Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is top of the list, while Carlos Baleba, Tyler Adams, Adam Wharton, Joao Gomes, Sandro Tonali and Felix Nmecha are all names discussed internally.**
All of those are younger and faster than this current version of Casemiro, no doubt.
**Anderson will be one of the most in demand players this summer with Bayern Munich understood to be stepping up their interest in the England international. Tonali, another, who will command a big market and even bigger money.**
But none of them provide the goal threat or the leadership that a player like Casemiro does. And there is also no guarantee they land their top targets when midfield needs at least two, if not three, reinforcements ahead of a return to the Champions League.
Baleba, Gomes, Adams and Nmecha should only be a third level signing after two big ones
As much as I love Unc Case and would be singing One more year in OT with the rest I think it is best that the club and he depart ways in a ‘what could have been’ fashion rather than having another downturn next season and getting slaughtered for it, he was being cussed for having no legs last season from outside and in
Let it end as much like a fairytale as it can and he will be remembered fondly, FA cup, league cup, cant ask for too much more in one of our worst periods
Case gone 😢.
Ugarte ought to be going.
Is 3-4 CM signings unrealistic? And even if it isn’t, such an overhaul in arguably the most vital area of the pitch would need at least one season to become cohesive and gel.
Casemiro still has some aspects of his game where he excels, but he’s just too lacking in others, and these will continue to decline over the next 12 months. Just in the last few weeks we’ve been overrun in the midfield most matches. That’s not a sustainable platform for challenging for honours next season
If he was willing to take significantly reduced wages he could be a good dressing room presence, as a fifth choice midfielder super-sub set piece specialist, but seemingly he doesn’t want that. Best to shake hands and leave on a high
If he can’t go down 50% of the wages it’s not worth it.
He’s basically on salary for two players
Isn’t Felix Nmecha more of an attacking midfielder? So replacing Case, who sits deeper and is more defensive with him makes no sense?
The only one on that list that makes sense is Tonali. PL experienced, not a young “project” midfielder and super talented. We need to sign experienced midfielders, not the hot young prospect in the hopes they turn good.
We are short a left-footed defender, a right-footed winger/attacker, a starting holding midfielder, plus one more midfielder.
These are missing from the current senior squad, simple as, imho.
It’s not tautologically true that the academy cant provide some of those 4 players by next season, the most red-tinted-glasses view will see several options, but we definitely need ready-made additions in order to get a CL-quality squad.
AFTER that could/should we consider flipping, 1-in-1-out style, players that could potentially be “upgraded on” like say Ugarte, Zirkzee, Bayindir.
At this point, it is not about the salary imho. It is about the humiliation that Jim threw at him when Jim just came in. If I were Case, I would ask for apology from Jim before considering to renew.
If he stays – everytime he plays the team will have to change the system to this compact shape to conform to his lack of legs. I don’t think that’s going to be successful, changing the system for a 6 every other/every third game.
I think we should be trying to do a deal. Of course reduce his wages but give him 2 years. If he doesn’t play enough games next year then either no 2nd year or another reduce in wages.
He obviously loves the club and has found tremendous form. Should at least test the waters. If he wants to go to Saudi or America for a bag then fair enough.
I love Casemiro, but the likes of Tonali would be an upgrade.
Our fans are sentimental, and for the most part it’s a good thing. But let’s not act like Case is irreplaceable. In fact if we would get FDJ instead of him initially we would be in a much better place.
300k is not worth maybe 75-80 mins of contribution a week. The tricky part is that we won’t even have a midfield at all this summer apart from Kobbie who should not be a regular starter. It’s a huge task for the recruitment team. Case staying would ease that burden a little bit, but the right decision is still to part way.
We NEED to get at least 1 ,ideally 2 midfielders from the relegated teams this season. Elliot Anderson, Joao Gomes, Mateus Fernandes. My dream summer is Anderson, Fernandes, Mateus Nunes, and 1 cheaper CM option in the 20-30M range. Maybe Hackney or someone frorn Ligue 1.
Especially when we have champion league football? Surely we have budget to sign some good names now that the front is so strong now
He’s been great this season, but we’ve seen even very recently that when we have two games within 3-4 days he struggles in the second match. He looked really knackered against Newcastle, hence why he came off shortly after the 60th minute. Assuming we get UCL next season I don’t see how he’d be able to cope with that many games and imo we’d see a drop-off in his level.
I really like him as a player and regardless of who we sign we will miss his aerial threat and leadership qualities, but I still think the club is doing the right thing in letting him leave.
He’s made his decision, so have the club. Don’t let him turn into a Salah/Van Dijk – this is the right time to part ways – on a high.
He’s had great games this season but in some also looked off it. Next season when he plays those off it games might creep in a bit more. That’s forgetting his high wages that we’d need to re-negotiate.
People need to learn that it’s the right time to move on – if we’ve truly stepped forwards as a club then we need to stick by this decision.
This is all about stay or not, but the market is going to be difficult.
If we sheep Ugarte and Casemiro, we have only Mainoo, who at the moment should not start. That means that we at MINIMUM need three quality midfielders, two of which needs to be started and a third which can be more of a talent. And I doubt we can get even 1 at the level of casemiro (bar legs).
I don’t think people really understand how important he was this season. One of the only two really world class players we have with Bruno.
He is putting exceptional statistics
Get rid of ugarte keep cass for the last 20 mintues of every game..
I know it’s a dream scenario but I see 5 signings which are an absolute necessity this summer.
3 central/defensive midfielders.
1 left winger.
1 left back/ full back who can play both sides.
We signed 5 players before 24/25 in the season after we finished 8th. (Maz, Deligt, Zirkzee, Yoro, Ugarte)
We signed 5 (including Diego Leon) before 25/26 finishing 15th the season before. ( Mbeumo, Cunha, Sesko, Lammens and Diego Leon).
Now when we finish in champions league(please please) places and get sales money from some players we can be little hopeful of getting atleast 5 players.
In one summer Arsenal signed Zubimendi, Norgaard, Madueke, Gyokeres, Hincapie, Mosquera, Eze and Kepa, on top of an already stacked squad.
I think we could make 4/5 solid signings if we get CL, and keep Maguire and Cas for one more year.:
2 cms, a winger, a left back, an AM
Try to sell Mount, Ugarte, Zirkzee. Rashford, Sancho, Hojlund, Onana should be certs to go.
>Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Tyler Adams, Adam Wharton, Joao Gomes, Sandro Tonali and Felix Nmecha are all names discussed internally.
> But **none of them provide the goal threat or the leadership that a player like Casemiro does**
Saved you a click.
Got to know when to let go. He would rather end on a high and take a big payday playing in semi retirement than bust his ass 2 games a week under a big pay cut and he has earned the choice and more. His passion is clear for all to see and its going to suck seeing him go but he will be leaving with his head held high and the love of every united supporter for the season he’s given us
Casemiro form has been brilliant and he does provide more than just defensive nous. He has experience and leadership
But let’s not forget, he’s had some absolute stinkers in the last 2 years and so many unnecessary cards. We should 100% not sign him for another year. In CL we pay him 18m a year which would allow us to spend 80m on transfer fee for a player. He doesn’t have the legs to play 2 a week
Only route to success is one EPL proven midfielder plus one CL proven midfielder. £200 each going rate. If Ugarte is not getting game time now it means he’s not trusted.
I don’t see why we’re not extending for a year. We’ve made a clear effort to reduce the wage bill and to be more sustainable, which is great. But we are talking about one year. When he leaves, we’ll be left with Ugarte and Mainoo as our only established CMs. And we are likely (and rightly) to get rid of Ugarte.
Playing in Europe, we need 4/5 CMs. That’s too much upheaval. I’d sign him for one more year while we bed in his replacement (game share) and add another credible option. That feels manageable. Then we have another decent wage bill drop the year after when Casemiro goes and we understand what our ‘new’ midfield can achieve.
I think it’s been really noticeable in Carrick’s tenure so far that we cannot bring quality subs on in CM.
We need at least 2 midfielders, 3 if ugarte leaves
Heading into Christmas it looked very likely that Casemiro, Bruno and Mainoo could all be leaving whereas now I would say that the majority of United fans would want them all to stay together for next season.
I’d imagine a Casemiro replacement and someone else to come in with Ugarte possibly leaving being the most realistic situation considering the wages will be significantly less with Casemiro gone and Ugarte just not finding any form at all.
I’m probably in the minority but I would take Paulinha from Fulham if that’s a cheap possibility in regards to transfer fee and wages, I think he’s on loan at Spurs but could be wrong and he might be getting too old.
Can Case be as squad player though? Dude wasn’t exactly comfortable being sidelined by EtH for the FA Cup Final win against City. Maybe Erik failed to communicate well enough with him?
None of those players are what we need or will be able to replace Case.
I’ve half joked that we need Schweinsteiger to convince Kimmich to come. My point being we need a player with very high football IQ #1. Someone who knows how to be in the right place at the right time offensively and defensively.
Everyone knows Case is slower than ever but knows when to be where, and he has CL experience at the highest level.
Nonsense article. The Club rightly want his extrangrant wage off the wage bill. RICE and casadeo wages combined is what casemrio is paid. 375k a week for a 30 year old CDM was the wrong signing. A purple patch playing one game a week does not change that. Lets not sentiment get in the way people.
We have cover at 10 – Bruno at 8 is dobale but not optimal, 6 is weak.
Im also in the minority but I haven’t been impressed with Mainoo. Technically gifted but he gives the opposition a lot of room and when he has the ball it’s always sideways or backwards.
So we need one 6 and one 8.
Stay stay stay stay