Manchester United are set to sign a new defensive midfielder this summer, with Casemiro already confirmed to be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Manchester United are set for a very busy summer transfer window. Director of Football Jason Wilcox will be responsible for bringing in several new additions to help United compete in the Champions League and the Premier League, while also looking to replace Casemiro.
Casemiro confirmed he would leave Old Trafford upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season, despite a clause in his contract that could have seen his deal renewed by one season if he had played every game until the end of the season - something which he is still on track to do.
Last summer, it seemed United were intent on signing Brighton and Hove Albion's Carlos Baleba, but were priced out of a deal, having yet to complete the transfers of Benjamin Šeško or Senne Lammens.
It appears that Baleba remains on the list of midfielders United are considering to sign, but a backup plan is in place if they cannot sign their "ideal" choice.
Recently, Elliot Anderson, Baleba, Amadou Onana, Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton have all been mentioned as top targets, but it seems that United's favoured option may be Newcastle United's star midfielder.
Sandro Tonali price revealed
It is clear that a deal to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United could be costly, especially given that United have also been linked with his midfield partner, Bruno Guimarães.
Matteo Moretto, an Italian journalist, has reported that Tonali is top of United's "wishlist", with the likelihood of a deal to become clear in the coming weeks.
However, they will face competition for the Italy international from Manchester City, who are also interested in Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson.
Moretto continues to report that Tonali is valued at close to £87 million, which would be more than what United paid for Casemiro back in 2022.
With United also potentially searching for a Manuel Ugarte replacement, £87 million could be too much to spend on just one midfielder, especially with a return to the Champions League next season, where United will need strength in depth.
Can United sign Anderson and Tonali?
If Tonali is top of United's wishlist, he is unlikely to be there on his own, with it recently reported that the Red Devils want to sign more than one midfielder this summer.
"I feel like the finances are there for Manchester United to push for at least TWO £70M+ world-class midfielders," said well-respected Manchester United journalist Laurie Whitwell.
In that case, should it be Anderson or Tonali? They appear to be the two favourites, from various reports, but both of them would fail to replace Casemiro's goal output. The Brazilian has scored three goals and registered one assist since Michael Carrick took charge.
As well as replacing Casemiro as a starting midfielder, United must also sign a player who can be as important as the former Real Madrid star in the air. The Red Devils will need a player who can dominate both boxes, including from set-pieces.