Following Casemiro’s recent performances, the general consensus at Manchester United is that his race at the top is over.
A shocking performance against Crystal Palace on Monday night, coupled with his attempted offside fall against Arsenal on Sunday, left fans unimpressed.
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Therefore, attention turns to securing his successor this summer.
And WhoScored.com has picked out five that United could target to replace the Brazilian at Old Trafford this summer.
Joao Neves – Benfica
Joao Neves, one of Liga Portugal’s rising stars, is believed to be high on Manchester United’s wish list as they prepare to replace Casemiro.
The 19-year-old has been a ball-winning machine for Benfica this season with 63 tackles, finishing in 14th place. Neves won the ball in the midfield third 106 times, ranking third in the division.
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It is also crucial that Neves makes good use of possession when he wins the ball for Benfica. His 60 passes per game ranks him at the top of central midfielders in Liga Portugal and eighth overall in the league, while a pass success rate of 90 percent ranks him ninth, a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of “passing” underlined.
The teenager appears to be United’s main target when it comes to establishing a foothold in the middle of the park.
Benfica will demand a high transfer fee to be convinced to sell Neves, but the Portugal international has a high ceiling and would be a smart addition to this United side.
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Joao Gomes – Wolves
If United are looking for an experienced ball-winner from the Premier League to bolster those midfield options, then they can do far worse than Wolves man Joao Gomes.
The Brazilian has had a good first full season at Molineux and his performances for Gary O’Neil’s side have not gone unnoticed.
Gomes has already been linked with a move to Old Trafford this year, and for good reason.
Only one player has made more tackles in England’s top flight this season than the 23-year-old (122), and although his distribution this season has not been on the same level as Neves’, Gomes is being tipped as Casemiro’s successor in Brazil Midfield. He could also repeat the feat for the club.
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Exequiel Palacios – Bayer Leverkusen
The unheralded star of Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten season, Exequiel Palacios has formed a formidable midfield partnership with Granit Xhaka for the Bundesliga champions as they look to win the treble.
This season, the Argentine has an average of seventh place in the top German league in terms of the most tackles per game (2.5), he is also in third place in terms of passes per game (84) and has the eighth best pass success rate (92, 1%).
Europe’s elite are expected to circle the BayArena this summer looking to sign the stars of Leverkusen’s great season and Palacios is likely to be high on the wish list.
However, the German team is under no pressure to sell the 25-year-old in the off-season.
Palacios has a contract with Leverkusen until 2028 after signing a contract extension in September. So you would have to spend a lot of money to convince the German team to sell.
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Youssouf Fofana – Monaco
Youssouf Fofana has long been linked with a move to the Premier League and it could be that the rumors come to fruition this summer.
While not quite in the mold of Neves or Gomes, Fofana still has the ability to operate in that role and could prove to be a more cost-effective option for United.
That’s because the France international’s current contract expires next summer and United could, among other things, look to capitalize on a potential need to sell to strengthen the midfielder.
Only Pierre Lees-Melou (133) has won the ball in midfield three more times in Ligue 1 this season than Fofana (131), and although he would be limited to a more defensive role at United, the 25-year-old has what it takes to bring the ball up.
Paired with Kobbie Mainoo at the base of the midfield, it could be a solid partnership.
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Amadou Onana – Everton
Amadou Onana, another player who isn’t necessarily a defensive midfielder like some others on this list, was a solid performer in this Everton team.
His form at Goodison Park has attracted interest from a number of other Premier League sides.
Everton are believed to be preparing for life without the Belgian, so Onana is expected to leave the club this summer.
Similar to Fofana, Onana works better when he has the freedom to move forward from midfield, but he can operate deeper.
His three tackles per 90 ranks him 10th in the Premier League this season and he would bring English top-flight experience to Old Trafford, which in turn would dispel any doubts about Onana’s ability to settle into new surroundings .
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