Manchester United star Aaron Wan-Bissaka negotiating exit terms with club, holds talks with rival PL club over move - Reports
Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is reportedly discussing exit terms with the Red Devils ahead of his potential switch to West Ham United. As claimed by Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth via mufcmpb on X, the full-back is on the verge of leaving the Red Devils.
Wan-Bissaka joined Manchester United in 2019 after making a name for himself at Crystal Palace. Expectations were quite high from the full-back at Old Trafford who reportedly cost the club £50 million.
However, the Englishman has failed to live up to the expectations during his time at Manchester United so far. While he has been defensively quite solid, his poor attacking instincts do not fit the modern game where full-backs are a regular outlet for creativity.
Wan-Bissaka initially started as the first-choice right-back at Old Trafford upon his arrival but eventually fell behind Diogo Dalot in the pecking order. The 26-year-old has made 190 appearances for the club across competitions, scoring just twice while producing 13 assists.
During his time at Old Trafford, the former Crystal Palace full-back won one League Cup and one FA Cup. As claimed by The Daily Mail, the Red Devils are prepared to allow Wan-Bissaka to depart for a fee of £18 million which West Ham United are ready to pay.
However, the deal is still complicated as the Hammers are unwilling to match the defender's £90,000-per-week salary. It is understood that he is discussing a significant pay-off with Manchester United.
Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for Noussair Mazraoui after they offload Wan-Bissaka. West Ham United almost managed to sign the Morocco international from Bayern Munich before the deal collapsed.
Pundit urges Manchester United to keep Casemiro at the club
Former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre has urged the Red Devils to keep faith in Casemiro. The Brazil international has been widely linked with an exit from Old Trafford following a pretty underwhelming 2023-24 season.
Casemiro enjoyed a strong first season at Old Trafford upon his reported £70 million move from Real Madrid in the summer of 2022. He played a pivotal role in helping the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League while winning the Carabao Cup.
However, his form fell off a cliff last season as he struggled with fitness problems. Despite that, Silvestre has urged the Red Devils to keep the Brazilian midfield dynamo. He said (via TG Casino):
"I think he still has the energy and enough in the tank to respond to that and show that he is still a valuable player for the team. Not maybe every single game because it's quite intense but in the biggest fixtures, most of the time he was performing to the level he’s expected to."
"I wouldn’t rush to any conclusions for Casemiro, he seems like a good character to have in the dressing room. If the team wants to get back to winning ways, they need these types of players around," he continued.
The former France defender added:
"Not unless the club has recruited and has someone coming in through the pipeline. It’s important for the manager to have the right amount of players in training and the right amount of players in the defensive midfield area."
"Of course you have Kobbie Mainoo but besides him, you can’t identify another top number six in the squad. There's still another three weeks until the window shuts. I wouldn't be shocked if Casemiro was playing for another season, it's not like United are challenging for the title so I think if you consider this period as a transition, he could still be a good leader in that squad," Silvestre concluded.
Casemiro is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of the modern era. He spent the best years of his career at Real Madrid, winning a plethora of trophies, including five Champions Leagues.