From Spain: Manchester United's Casemiro move is advancing as club want player to feature against Liverpool

Manchester United’s pursuit of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is very much alive.

Latest reports emerging out of Spain have said the Brazil international’s move to Old Trafford is advancing, with the player wanting to join United.

The fee currently spoken about has been around the £60 million mark.

Casemiro’s contract at the Santiago Bernabeu currently runs until 2025.

United are willing to grant the five-time Champions League winner an increase to his €180,000-a-week salary.

Further reports have also stated that the English club wants Casemiro to play in their crunch game against rivals Liverpool next Monday.

Both sides have failed to win either of their two opening Premier League games of the season.

United were humiliated by Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, while Jurgen Klopp’s side drew to London clubs Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Having been linked with a whole host of midfield options all summer such as Frenkie de Jong, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Adrien Rabiot and Moises Caicedo, it seems as though Erik ten Hag is set to land a second midfielder after completing the signing of Christian Eriksen earlier in the window.

A move for De Jong has stalled for a number of weeks due to Barcelona’s owing of deferred wages to the player, while Lazio are wanting a fee of £42 million for Milinkovic Savic.

As for Casemiro, he would fill a void United haven't filled since the retirement of Michael Carrick.

Nemanja Matic was signed under Jose Mourinho in 2017, however the lack of team structure and spirit meant Matic didn’t enjoy the greatest spell in red having left earlier this summer as a free agent, joining none other than Mourinho’s Roma.

Casemiro is seen as a player who could still offer United something they have missed in midfield for several years. 

The 30-year-old excels at breaking up play, being a player considered as always being in the right place at the right time for his team, and ‘carrying the piano’ for Real Madrid’s forward players including fellow midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

‘Carrying the piano’ is a term United midfielder Fred has used on several occasions, and the 29-year-old enjoys a great relationship with Casemiro, with the pair playing as a midfield duo in last summer’s Copa America under manager Tite, where the five-time World Cup winners fell short at the final hurdle to neighbours Argentina.

New centre-back Lisandro Martinez was part of the Albiceleste squad to give Argentina their 15th Copa America win, however, all will be forgiven should the former Ajax man play a helping hand to help Casemiro settle in at Old Trafford should a move materialise. 

Ten Hag will be hoping Casemiro can add steel to United’s central areas, with the Reds far too easy for opponents to play through in recent years.