Rival clubs, super agents and Manchester United‘s current crop will be fully aware of what Jason Wilcox’s priority is heading into the summer – the signing of a new elite midfielder.
Since the days of Michael Carrick the player, the centre of the park has long been a problem position at Old Trafford, with Manuel Ugarte joining the likes of Donny van de Beek, Sofyan Amrabat and Fred as the latest flawed midfield signing in Manchester.
Despite a shaky spell under Erik ten Hag, the £70m capture of Casemiro has certainly paid off, with the 34-year-old Brazilian notably scoring seven times in 28 Premier League starts this season.
A resurgence under Carrick’s watch has sparked calls for an extension to the veteran’s contract, although the former Real Madrid star’s farewell tour should remain just that.
|
Man Utd top scorers – 25/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Goals |
|
Sesko |
10 |
|
Mbeumo |
10 |
|
Fernandes |
8 |
|
Casemiro |
7 |
|
Cunha |
7 |
|
Dorgu |
3 |
|
Mount |
3 |
|
Zirkzee |
2 |
|
Amad |
2 |
|
Maguire |
2 |
Heading into the summer then, with Casemiro on his way and Ugarte likely to follow, at least one new midfielder is needed as a matter of urgency.
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Considering the relatively threadbare nature of United’s midfield unit, Wilcox and INEOS simply have to get this next round of recruitment right, having no doubt been stung by the addition of Ugarte over 18 months ago.
Lessons might have been learned from that errant £50m capture, with reports indicating that the Red Devils might go down the Premier League-proven route, with talks believed to have taken place regarding a marquee deal for Newcastle United skipper, Bruno Guimaraes.
The Brazilian may appear an unrealistic target considering his importance to the Magpies’ cause, yet with Eddie Howe’s side looking unlikely to secure Champions League or even just European football on current evidence, Old Trafford could prove a tempting destination.
A possible top-five finish could also allow Wilcox and co to attract potentially even bigger talents from abroad, with reports in Spain indicating that United are in the mix for Barcelona star, Fermin Lopez.
The suggestion is that the Red Devils are willing to fork out as much as €100m (£86m) in order to prise the Spain international from Catalonia, with the 22-year-old having previously courted attention from Chelsea.
The only issue may be that despite United’s desire to make an offer, the LaLiga giants are currently not looking to sell, while the player himself is not believed to be keen on the move as it stands, with his current deal set to run until 2031.
Why Lopez could represent a bigger talent than Guimaraes
There may well be echoes of 2022 regarding the pursuit of another rising star at Camp Nou, with Ten Hag having pivoted to Casemiro after missing out on compatriot Frenkie de Jong following a protracted summer saga.
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United, and Wilcox, in particular, will be keen to avoid a repeat scenario, although Lopez would certainly be worth chasing, with the La Masia graduate having sparkled under Hansi Flick of late.
While Guimaraes may boast the benefit of his Premier League experience, Lopez – at just 22 – would represent a far more long-term fit, having already racked up 127 appearances for the LaLiga giants to date.
For comparison, Guimaraes didn’t make the move to Newcastle until the age of 24 back in 2022, having since recorded 189 appearances under Howe’s watch.
Despite fewer games for his current side, Lopez does boast a remarkably similar record to the Brazilian with regard to goal contributions, netting 31 times and registering 27 assists in all competitions.
In Guimaraes’ case, the 28-year-old has racked up 31 goals himself, alongside a further 31 assists, albeit from over 60 more games for his current side.
It could be argued that that is an unfair comparison considering the Newcastle captain has operated in a deeper role on occasion, although both he and Lopez are all-action number eights in reality, crashing the box to devastating effect in recent seasons.
In the current campaign, for instance, the Barca sensation has remarkably racked up 28 goals and assists in all competitions already, ten of which have come in just nine Champions League outings.
Again, for comparison, Guimaraes has only registered 16 goals and assists, while failing to record a single goal contribution during his side’s own European run.
With Lopez boasting the benefit too of being able to operate as a number eight, a number ten or a winger, he would no doubt provide real value for money, with his market value matching the fee United are willing to pay, as per Transfermarkt. Guimaraes, meanwhile, is said to be valued at around €75m (£64m).
That difference in worth again signifies why the younger man could represent the bigger talent, with Lopez a worthy target ahead of a potential seismic summer for Wilcox and United.
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