Manchester United’s transfer business this summer has been handicapped by the club’s failure to sell a number of players, with one high-earner in particular preventing Ruben Amorim from strengthening in midfield.
United have been desperate to cash in on the likes of Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho this summer, having seen Marcus Rashford join Barcelona on loan this week with only an option to buy.
Concrete proposals for United’s unwanted stars have been limited or underwhelming and a similar situation has developed with Casemiro, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The report claims that four intermediaries have had a mandate to sell the 33-year-old this summer but offers are ‘unlikely to be forthcoming’, with United needing a fee of £15 million (€17m) to avoid a PSR loss as the Brazilian enters the last year of his contract.
Casemiro’s wages of £300,000-per-week have also proven to be a stumbling block in any exit talks, having already seen failed attempts to move him on during the January transfer window.
With five midfielders already on United’s books, Amorim will only be able to make investment in that area once a high earner such as Casemiro is moved on, despite a desire to add quality in the middle of the park.
United stuck in transfer limbo until outgoing offers matierialise
Rashford’s departure from United’s wage bill will give some encouragement to the club’s transfer plans after spending more than €150m on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer.
Talks are ongoing with Juventus to sell Sancho, while Antony and Garnacho are still expected to leave this summer, but their exits may not materialise until later in the window.
United released Christian Eriksen at the end of the season, while Kobbie Mainoo is likely to remain at Old Trafford this summer despite rejecting a contract extension earlier this year, putting him with Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte alongside Casemiro as Amorim’s midfield options.
With Amorim still keen to add a striker and potentially a goalkeeper to his squad, as well as a midfielder, much will depend on how quickly outgoings can be arranged, either with transfer listed players or if an offer for Casemiro manifests in the coming weeks.
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