2
Manchester United’s midfield was well and truly outmuscled against Newcastle United.
Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo have formed a promising midfield pairing under Michael Carrick. However, at St James’ Park, both looked off from start to finish.
The Brazilian veteran scored United’s only goal, but he was too slow with and without the ball. Mainoo, meanwhile, did not enjoy the physical battles with the likes of Sandro Tonali and Joelinton.
Manchester United ready to splash big on Federico Valverde
Manchester United faced similar issues under Ruben Amorim, who was desperate to sign a midfielder in January before he was sacked.
With Casemiro set to depart at the end of the season, United need to sign at least two players to raise the physical and technical level of their midfield for their new permanent manager.
The club’s priority is to sign Premier League-proven players, but they are also allegedly prepared to test Real Madrid’s resolve for Federico Valverde, who is considered “the most complete player in football” by Carlo Ancelotti.
According to a report in Spain, as relayed by The Real Champs, United are willing to pay €85 million to sign Valverde if he decides to leave Los Blancos in the summer.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also keen on signing the two-time Champions League-winning Uruguayan.
Real Madrid open to selling Federico Valverde
Valverde has been a mainstay at Real, having made 37 appearances across all competitions. However, the incredibly versatile South American has been used all across the pitch to plug several holes in the unbalanced squad.
As such, the 27-year-old’s suitors are hoping to lure him by offering him a pivotal role in the middle of the park. His contract at Santiago Bernabeu runs until 2029.
Real could bring in a new manager ahead of next season. It is suggested that they might prefer a different midfield profile. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, in particular, is admired in the Spanish capital for what he offers going forward.
Accordingly, the report suggests that the board would take an offer in the region of €85m under consideration for Valverde.
Featured image Denis Doyle via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
