Manchester United are on the verge of signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, with Real Madrid expected to accept an offer of €60m (£50.7m) plus surcharges.
Erik ten Hag’s side have been trying to strengthen their midfield all summer and will look to finalize the deal on Friday after making an official offer late Thursday night. The fee could rise to €70m (£59.2m) if certain clauses are met.
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Talks with camp now continue, with United offering a four-year deal plus an option to extend for another season. Casemiro’s current deal at Real Madrid runs until 2025. United’s director of football John Murtough is working directly on the deal after coming under pressure over a hitherto weak transfer deal over the summer.
Casemiro is now 30 years old and has won five Champions League and four Spanish titles with Real Madrid after joining Real Madrid from São Paulo in 2013. Real signed Aurélien Tchouaméni from Monaco this summer and remain interested in Bruno Guimarães – but Newcastle won’t accept offers for their midfielder.
United are bottom of the Premier League after losing to Brighton and Brentford in their first two games. The club have been working feverishly to strengthen Ten Hag’s squad after their dismal start after recruiting Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martínez earlier in the summer.
Talk of medical treatment for Casemiro on Friday seems premature, meaning he would not be registered in time for Monday night’s Premier League clash with arch-rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford. If the deal goes through, the Brazilian will be reunited with former Real Madrid team-mates Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphaël Varane in Manchester.
The board have more irons in the fire as United seek to boost their ailing campaign, with PSV winger Gakpo, a player proposed by Ten Hag, still on his shortlist. United could also try to revive a move for Ajax winger Antony, although the Dutch side are unwilling to sell at the moment.
Protests against Manchester United owners are planned ahead of and during Monday’s clash with Liverpool. Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly expressed his interest in buying the club from the Glazer family.