According to Spanish outlet AS, Manchester United are eyeing an ambitious move for Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes as they seek a replacement for Casemiro at the end of the season.
The Red Devils are expected to sign a new defensive midfielder during the summer transfer window to replace Casemiro whose contract expires on June 30. The 34-year-old has already announced his departure from the club.
Man United have been linked with several names over the last few weeks and AS today cite that Guimaraes is one of the leading names on the club’s radar and Casemiro has personally recommended the Red Devils to land his compatriot.
The 28-year-old’s current contract with the Magpies expires in the summer of 2028 and no contract talks have progressed. With the possibility of missing out on Champions League football, he could be on the move soon.
Still, Eddie Howe’s side are expected to demand a premium price for the Brazilian’s transfer. Alexander Isak left for a staggering £131 million to Liverpool last summer, and it could cost a similar fee to bring Guimaraes to Old Trafford.
Elite midfielder
Guimaraes has been one of the Premier League’s best-performing midfielders since he arrived at the Magpies from Lyon few years ago. He is currently on the sidelines for a couple of months with an ankle injury. This could hamper Newcastle’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
They are already 12 points behind fifth-placed Liverpool in 13th and face a daunting challenge against Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League. It looks like they won’t be playing any European football next term. This could lead to multiple players pushing for an exit and Guimaraes could be one of those.
The 28-year-old, described as ‘special‘ by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, was in superb form before his injury setback. He accumulated 9 goals and 7 assists from 35 appearances, the majority coming in the league. Guimaraes has also been solid defensively with 5.5 duels won and 5 recoveries per league game alongside 2 tackles. He has completed 44 passes per appearance.
He has identical attributes as his compatriot Casemiro and it is unsurprising that the latter has recommended his signing. United will have a bigger transfer budget this summer as they are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League.
They may not pay anywhere close to £131m, but a deal could be done for £80-90m, particularly if Guimaraes does not show any intent on putting pen to paper on a new contract, which would reduce his transfer valuation further in the future.
