Sensational double deal in the works as Man United clear favourites to sign long-term target, plus Casemiro replacement in January -Reports

Sensational double deal in the works as Man United clear favourites to sign long-term target, plus Casemiro replacement in January -Reports

Two midfielders could be added by Manchester United to bolster their roster, and a long-term target is once again expected to join Casemiro at Old Trafford.

Even though there are still a lot of questions about Erik ten Hag’s future with the Red Devils, Dan Ashworth and company are still making plans for player acquisition.

Furthermore, if Barcelona makes it apparent that the Netherlands midfielder is free to move elsewhere, rumors from Spain indicate that United will once again be the overwhelming favorites to sign Frenkie de Jong in the summer.

Since the summer of 2022, De Jong has been strongly connected to a move to Old Trafford. Ten Hag, who is expected to arrive, made the Barca star his top objective when he took the Red Devils

Although De Jong has insisted numerous times that he has no plans to walk away from the Camp Nou, there is once again speculation that Barca’s off-field issues could force them into the sale of at least one major star.

To that end, Fichajes reports that if the 27-year-old decides against renewing his contract with Barcelona, almost certainly for a lower salary, then it is likely that he will be sold in 2025.

The report takes it one step further by stating that ‘everything points to’ De Jong leaving Barca and that United are the ‘clear favourites’ to win the race for his signature if that happens.

The Dutchman’s current deal runs out in June 2026 but the midfielder is not thought to be willing to sign a contract which has been on the table since January. He also agreed to defer a large portion of his salary to help Barcelona during the pandemic, but a recent report claimed that an agreement had been reached over unpaid wages.

Casemiro replacement also in the pipeline
Meanwhile, a separate report suggests that Palmeiras star Richard Rios remains a major option to replace Casemiro in United’s engine room in 2025.

It was reported last summer that the Red Devils were planning a £17million bid for the player after he starred for Colombia at the Copa America, although that talk eventually subsided and United ended up bringing in Manuel Ugarte from PSG instead.

However, four months on, Old Trafford interest in Rios has been confirmed by a source who is close to the player’s current situation.