Man United ‘expected’ to launch surprise move for ‘Worldclass’ Atletico Madrid ace who’d serve as Mainoo’s Midfield partner -Report

Man United ‘expected’ to launch surprise move for ‘Worldclass’ Atletico Madrid ace who’d serve as Mainoo’s Midfield partner -Report

Man Utd have been tipped to move for Atletico Madrid midfielder, Rodrigo De Paul

Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul is attracting interest from Manchester United, and a source says the team is “expected” to make a bid.

If successful, the risky acquisition would cast doubt on the futures of two current players.

According to The Manchester Evening News, Man Utd is trying to get Kobbie Mainoo to sign a new, better contract because they intend to center their midfield around the gifted young player.

Since Mainoo is almost a lock to start, those surrounding him, including Manuel Ugarte, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro, are vying for one position.

A recent report from the Spanish publication Fichajes claims that Man Utd is considering making an offer for Rodrigo De Paul of Atletico Madrid, who would play with Mainoo in the Midfield.

It’s claimed the Red Devils are ‘expected’ to make a move at some stage in 2025. Given De Paul’s age (30) and the fact his existing deal expires in 2026, it’s suggested Atleti would be open to selling if United table a ‘strong offer.’

Of course, moving for De Paul who is already the wrong side of 30 would represent a risk for Man Utd.

The Argentine World Cup winner could hardly be categorised as a long-term option and one look at the rapidly declining Casemiro shows how risky signing ageing stars can be.

Nonetheless, if United were to firm up their interest and sign De Paul, his arrival could prove fatal for Casemiro and/or Eriksen.

The latter is in the final year of his deal and TEAMtalk understands he won’t be offered a new deal. Casemiro is contracted to 2026 and would either be sold or at the very least pushed another rung down the pecking order.

Rodrigo De Paul signing could backfire
De Paul has been a critical player for Diego Simeone since arriving at Atletico Madrid back in 2021.

However, his influence does appear to be on the wane this term, with the veteran used off the bench in four of the eight LaLiga matches he’s featured in.

Furthermore, only one of his 10 appearances across all competitions has comprised the full 90 minutes. De Paul has frequently been subbed off around the hour mark in his other starts.

The Spanish outlet bringing the news aren’t known for being among the most reliable outlets when it comes to transfer news. Another factor that casts doubt on whether Man Utd would actually move for the Argentine is his age.

In Man Utd’s first summer window with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS at the helm, the club adopted a more youthful approach to their signings.

The five major arrivals – Leny Yoro (18), Manuel Ugarte, Joshua Zirkzee (both 23), Matthijs De Ligt (25) and Noussair Mazraoui (26) – showcased United’s intent in the market.

Back in April reporter Steve Bates claimed one of Ratcliffe’s missions was to end United’s propensity for making ‘Hollywood’ signings.

Gone are the days of signing superstar names at the back end of their careers like Edinson Cavani and Casemiro. De Paul may well fit into that category