Best signing since Fernandes: Man Utd moving closer to sealing big-money deal

Well, if you were worried Manchester United were going to miss Casemiro next season, evidence has just been provide to the contrary.

We know the Brazilian is no longer a spring chicken but the way in which the midfield veteran was given the runaround by 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi in Brazil’s World Cup opener against Morocco was remarkable.

Casemiro was withdrawn at half-time and looked every bit a player on his way to play in MLS. He is reportedly set to join Inter Miami after the World Cup.

So, fresh legs are what’s required for United. They have already agreed one deal to bring Ederson to Old Trafford but another midfielder could well be on the way.

Man Utd moving closer to signing big-money midfielder

With Casemiro out of the door, United have moved quickly to bring a replacement to the club. Ederson is allegedly set to undergo a medical soon ahead of a £39m move.

Personal terms are sewn up, a fee has been agreed and all that’s left to do is a contract signing and an official announcement. It’s a strong start to the summer for Michael Carrick‘s side.

Yet, if they are to successfully rebuild the midfield, they will need to spend a bit of cash. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has been the dream target but they simply cannot compete financially with Manchester City for his signature. Sandro Tonali’s £100m asking price also looks to be prohibitive. That explains why they have pursued Ederson instead in the early weeks of the window.

However, as we all know by now, they are also targeting a move for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.

The midfielder was relegated with the Hammers and is set to leave the London Stadium behind with Arsenal one notable side to have reportedly held talks with the player’s camp.

United are also in talks and according to fresh reports, are in pole position to acquire the Portuguese’s signature.

That’s according to a number of sources, including The Sun who reveal that Real Madrid, another of Fernandes’ suitors, expect him to now sign for the Red Devils.

TEAMtalk further reveal that United are set to make a bid for the player, although it will be one that comes in at lower than West Ham’s £80m asking price.

It’s expected now that a middle ground will be reached to complete a deal within the region of £60m. That would be half the price of what Anderson is expected to join City for this summer.

While a fee is still to be agreed with the Irons, the player has already agreed personal terms ahead of a potential move.

Why Mateus Fernandes would be Man Utd’s best signing in years

Last summer Manchester United moved towards a different strategy in the transfer window. Long gone, so it would seem, are the days of spending lavish over the top sums of money on players outside of the Premier League.

United have had enough Antony’s, had enough Joshua Zirkzee’s and Rasmus Hojlund’s. Instead, they welcomed in Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Sure, Benjamin Sesko still arrived at great expense but it was no surprise to see that Cunha and Mbeumo were their two most successful big-money additions.

It wouldn’t be too drastic to suggest that they were two of the club’s best signings since the signing of modern times; Bruno Fernandes.

Not since Bruno have they had a major success story in the market but they are moving in the right direction now. Of course, you cannot expect every player to be as big a hit as the club captain but he has been streets ahead of anyone else who has joined the club over the last decade.

Last season, he broke the Premier League assist record, finishing the season on 21, beating legendary figures in the shape of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne who were previously joint top of the charts with 20.

He’s been a ridiculously strong player in United red but in the form of another Fernandes and another Portuguese star, they could seal their best signing since that move from Sporting.

Why? Well, Mateus Fernandes ticks so many boxes in United’s bid to efficiently replace Casemiro in the middle of the park.

Anderson may well be the dream target but Fernandes is the next best thing. Both players rank among the top 10 for kilometers covered among midfielders in the Premier League last season, a statistic that rubberstamps not only their work rate but their ability to be everywhere all at once.

Compared to U21 midfielders in Europe’s top seven leagues, the youngster ranked second for progressive passes completed while he sat first for possession won, defensive duels won and interceptions.

This is an elite player in the making, a Premier League proven talent who would no doubt take like a duck to water in this United team.

Pivotally as they go about replacing Casemiro, he won six duels per 90 minutes last season to Casemiro’s 6.5. Not only would he be capable of doing the dirty work that the Brazilian did so well but he’d also add the energy that the midfield veteran was not capable of bringing.

United may well have Kobbie Mainoo to shuttle around in central areas but he’s not as natural at the defensive side of things. As a result, Fernandes could well be transformative for Michael Carrick, must as his namesake has been since arriving from Lisbon back in January 2020.

It’s been rare that the Red Devils have conducted their transfer business in an impressive fashion. The skipper stands out as one rare bit of success in the last six years but West Ham’s star man stands as good a chance as any of their recent signings of becoming a genuine hero in Manchester.