Let’s talk about Casemiro.
He’s been incredible for us this season, but his contract is up at the end of it, and that feels like a natural way to finish his short stint at old Trafford. His influence in Manchester has been undeniable, but he was never intended as a long term solution.
Casemiro was brought in – at great expense I must add – as a quick fix. His job was to bring control to a midfield that had none, to impose himself on games, to win duels and protect a fragile defence, and bring authority in games that were getting away from us.
He has done that job very well, we are in a better place now, but United were never planning to build a midfield around him. If he was five years younger then sure, but he’s not.
So what do Manchester United do? Replace him with another defensive midfielder? That’s an obvious choice but potentially a dangerous one. You can’t really ‘replace’ someone like Casemiro, and my question is whether that type of player is exactly what we need going forward, or does the club now move beyond it?
The New Man United Midfield
Midfield has been an issue at Old Trafford for a while. Things have looked much calmer there under Michael Carrick, more structured and less reliant on constantly recovering the ball, and Casemiro has been a big part of that.
He hasn’t been a one man shield, though. He has played deeper alongside Kobbie Mainoo, with Bruno Fernandes in front giving the squad more balance. And I think the word ‘balance’ is what’s important here.
Mainoo is not a natural holding midfielder, and trying to force him into that role long term would limit his effectiveness. Bruno is at his best when he can focus on creating rather than having to track back to cover for mistakes made behind him. We’ve seen proof of that with his incredible form ever since Carrick started playing people in their natural positions again – he recently took the club record of most assists in a season from David Beckham, and may well match the Premier League record before the season ends.
But I digress.
The next midfield needs to support the two players we already have and create balance. We don’t need to replace what we are losing, we need to think about what we need going forward. Someone who can:
- Hold position with defensive awareness without relying on pure physicality
- Receive the ball under pressure and keep play moving
- Maintain control in the middle, not just bring energy
That sounds like more of a modern game controlling role than a ball winner or a destroyer. It would also mean slightly adapting how United play.
Clues From The Transfer Rumours
There have been a lot of names linked with a move to Old Trafford in the midfield, but a few just keep coming up.
The interesting thing is, they are not interchangeable. They all create quite different versions of what our next midfield could potentially look like:
- Adam Wharton – A tempo setter. He would probably sit deeper, dictate play, and help control games through possession. He’s happy on the ball, progresses play quickly rather than recycling the ball, but is still developing defensively.
- Carlos Baleba – A more dynamic option. He can cover a lot of ground and can also carry the ball forward himself. He bases his game on athleticism and recovery runs, preferring to be direct and aggressive rather than slowing the game down. Still raw though, it has to be said.
- Elliot Anderson – Anderson leans more towards the modern No. 8 profile. He’s energetic and press resistant, as well as being strong going forward with the ball, but would spend more time in advanced areas than dropping deep.
- João Gomes – Probably the closest to Casemiro. A traditional ball winner, obviously younger and more mobile, but not as positionally disciplined and far less composed and controlled in possession. Loves a duel, loves a press.
This range in potential signings suggest Man United are weighing up different approaches and then identifying the best player for each approach. In other words, they haven’t made up their minds.
This isn’t exactly encouraging, but then again, without clarity on who the manager will be next season, it’s going to be difficult to know which direction to go in. That said, with Manuel Ugarte also likely to be making an exit, there is the potential, no, the need, for a double signing in midfield.
This would give Manchester United the opportunity to sign two top players to serve different purposes, and bring not only a balance that allows Kobbie and Bruno to do what they do best, but also some real options in the middle of the pitch.
Different tools for different jobs.
This Summer Will Be Crucial
Thanks to Carrick simplifying things and letting the players do what comes naturally to them, it looks likely that Champions League football is on the cards for Man Utd next season. That, alongside hopefully not getting knocked out of the FA Cup and EFL Cup at the first stage, will mean a lot more minutes on offer to United players.
With two midfield departures in Casemiro (definitely going) and Ugarte (unconfirmed, but likely), this summer transfer window will be crucial. We absolutely have to sign players in midfield, and they have to be the right ones, too.
With an upwards trajectory we should have more strong options interested in joining, but they must be right for the club. United spent too long building their squad in layers for different managers with different ideas. The result has been a team that can function, but never feels coherent.
That has to change this summer.
Casemiro’s departure leaves a hole for sure, but it also creates an opportunity to redesign the midfield in a way that will serve us for the next five years.