Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is set to undergo a medical on Friday ahead of his expected move to Manchester United on a long-term deal, according to reports.
Newsonline report that the Red Devils are said to be in advanced talks with Real Madrid after firming up their interest in Casemiro’s services over the last few days and it seems as though negotiations are moving quickly behind closed doors.
Casemiro reportedly informed Real Madrid of his desire to join United earlier on Thursday after emerging as a priority target for Erik ten Hag, who appears to have missed out on the signings of both Frenkie de Jong and Adrien Rabiot in recent weeks. United are seemingly making plenty of progress in talks with Los Blancos regarding a move for Casemiro, who will undergo a medical on Friday and could even play in Monday’s crunch Premier League match against Liverpool, according to Marca.
It is said that Casemiro has been mulling over a lucrative offer from United for the last three days but has finally warmed to the idea of swapping Madrid for Manchester, with personal terms now agreed between player and club. The Red Devils have also settled on a transfer fee in the region of £59million in talks with Real Madrid, who are not planning on standing in Casemiro’s way despite him still being tied down until the summer of 2025 as things stand.
United’s offer is set to increase the Brazilian playmaker’s existing salary by a significant amount, but other reports claiming that his wage packet will be doubled are believed to be wide of the mark. A ‘long and complicated’ day of thrashing out the finer details of the move is expected to unfold on Friday before Casemiro can officially be unveiled as a new United player in due course.
His arrival at Old Trafford would certainly solve one of the many problems facing Ten Hag over the course of this season, with the Dutchman having been eager to sign a new midfielder since taking charge at United earlier this summer. United were previously left frustrated in their efforts to sign Barcelona midfielder De Jong, who the Catalan giants have been trying to sell in order to balance the books, before pulling out of a move for Rabiot earlier this month over the Frenchman’s lucrative salary expectations.
It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti’s stance on Casemiro’s future will throw a spanner in the works for United, though, with the Italian coach known to be a huge admirer of the player. It is claimed that Ancelotti is still hoping for a final chance to convince Casemiro to stay at the Bernabeu this summer, although the likelihood is that his proposed move to United will be officially confirmed over the coming days.
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Ancelotti previously insisted that Casemiro is a one-of-a-kind player who would be difficult to replace for Real Madrid, which suggests that he will be doing everything in his power to talk the midfielder out of joining United before the paperwork is eventually signed and sealed.
“If we are going to look [in the market] for a copy of Casemiro, we’ll make a mistake,” Ancelotti told reporters at the start of this year.
“There are none in world football, he’s unique. But other players can play as a pivot. [Eduardo] Camavinga played there, who has other characteristics. He carries the ball well but he doesn’t have Casemiro’s tactical ability, I’ve never had a pivot like him.”
