Casemiro ‘regrets’ joining Manchester United, Red Devils identify £61 million-rated midfielder to replace him: Reports
Manchester United midfielder Casemiro reportedly 'regrets' the move to Old Trafford, and the Premier League giants may have found a £61 million-rated replacement. When the Brazilian joined Manchester United's midfield, it was heralded as a strategic masterstroke. Initially blossoming under Erik ten Hag, the former Real Madrid destroyer has struggled to impress for the Red Devils this season.
Now, emerging reports from Catalan media outlet Nacional (via Metro) have claimed that Casemiro is grappling with second thoughts about his switch from Real Madrid.
The report claims that his unease is attributed to a perceived 'institutional instability' within the Manchester-based club. This factor might make his tenure with the Red Devils fleeting at best.
Manchester United aren't pleased with Casemiro either, and according to the report, they have trained their scouting lens on 19-year-old Benfica midfielder Joao Neves. However, he carries a hefty price tag for a teenage midfielder.
A product of Benfica's football academy, Neves made his senior team debut for the club on Dec. 30, 2022. He has already made a statement with 33 appearances for the Portuguese giants' first team.
This season, he has played 13 games, starting 10 of them, and showing his importance to the club. Neves 's impressive tackling abilities and knack for progressive passing as well as ball-carrying makes him an exciting profile to replace the Brazilian defensive midfielder.
Meanwhile, Casemiro was absent from Manchester United's Champions League clash against Copenhagen came after his red card against Galatasaray rendered him ineligible. He was also left out of the squad that beat Sheffield 1-0 over the weekend after sustaining an injury in international duty.
Although he has impressed in certain moments, picking up four goals and an assist across 11 appearances this season, he has not met expectations defensively.
Erik ten Hag cautious despite Onana's last-minute penalty save in Manchester United's "narrow escape"
A pulsating 90 minutes at Old Trafford concluded with a sigh of relief for Manchester United, as they eked out a 1-0 win over FC Copenhagen in the Champions League. The victory marked the team's first points on the European stage this season and also the first win in the Champions League under Erik ten Hag.
While the final whistle prompted celebrations and a sigh of relief from Ten Hag, the Dutch tactician offered a sobering perspective in his post-match reflections (via ESPN):
"The first half was not good. The second half was better and we created more chances and finally the win was justified, but it was a narrow escape."
The spotlight was particularly intense on Andre Onana, who has been under fire since his summer transfer from Inter Milan. His early-season blunders against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray brought scrutiny, but he managed to claw back some redemption.
With the clock ticking into injury time, he made a breathtaking save, thwarting Jordan Larsson's penalty to secure all three points for Manchester United.