Man Utd in talks to land dream Casemiro replacement after signing Santos

The Manchester United hierarchy have undertaken the huge task of trying to replace recently departed midfielder Casemiro during the current summer transfer window.

Despite producing one of his best seasons at Old Trafford, the 34-year-old announced he would be leaving the Red Devils on a free transfer at the end of his current deal.

He played an influential role in Michael Carrick’s ability to secure Champions League qualification, subsequently scoring nine times in his 34 Premier League outings.

However, his deep-lying nature and ability to crash into the opposition box and find the back of the net is a quality very few players are able to emulate at the top-level.

Whilst INEOS have stepped up their efforts to land Casemiro’s replacement, it’s safe to say one of their pending additions won’t be a direct option to fill the midfield void.

What Santos will bring to Manchester United’s midfield

In recent days, it’s been confirmed that United have had a £50m offer accepted by fellow Premier League side Chelsea for the services of midfielder Andrey Santos.

Such a deal has no doubt come as somewhat of a surprise to many supporters, especially considering some of the names mentioned prior to the interest in the 22-year-old.

The move for the Brazilian has once again seen the hierarchy target another box-to-box option rather than the needed deep-lying talent to emulate the levels of Casemiro.

Santos featured 27 times in the Premier League last term for the Blues, with only 13 of those coming from a starting position – but he did manage to find the back of the net against Tottenham Hotspur.

In possession is mainly where the youngster will thrive at Old Trafford – especially if he can emulate his tally of 90% passes completed and 60% long balls completed in 2025/26.

However, he has showcased his ability to regain possession for his side in recent times, subsequently making 9.3 defensive contributions per 90 at Stamford Bridge last term.

At just 22, Santos will have bags of time to reach the next level in his development in Manchester, but there’s no denying the club still need to secure a number six to operate as an anchor in midfield.

The signing United could make to replace Casemiro

Despite making progress on multiple deals for Ederson and Santos this summer, the need for another deep-lying option in United’s senior ranks is there for all to see.

Casemiro’s skillset is a truly unique one, which undoubtedly makes the job of replacing him a tricky one for Carrick and INEOS before the window closes in September.

However, efforts have been made in recent days, and a deal for fellow Brazilian midfielder Danilo could be on the cards throughout the upcoming months.

It’s been reported by O Dia via Sport Witness that the Red Devils and Arsenal have both made approaches to Botafogo over a potential £34m deal for the 25-year-old.

Carrick’s men could well have the upper hand in the negotiations at present though, after holding club-to-club talks with the Brazilian outfit in the last couple of weeks.

Whilst on the face of it, a deal for the former Nottingham Forest star may not be an impressive one, it could be a move which finally sees the club replace Casemiro.

Since his move back to his homeland in the summer of 2025, Danilo has operated in an anchor role at the base of the side, but also had a licence to get forward and act as a box-crashing midfielder.

He netted seven goals in just 12 Serie A appearances this campaign – subsequently leading to a call-up to the national team for the ongoing World Cup.

Such a goalscoring tally is comparable to Casemiro’s, which could see him emulate his compatriot in producing the goods in the final third at Old Trafford in 2026/27.

However, without the ball, the 25-year-old has also showcased his ball-winning ability – subsequently winning 55% of his ground duels and making 7.1 ball recoveries per 90.

The latter of his aforementioned stats ranks him in the top 14% of all midfielders in world football, which further demonstrates his superb ability to operate as a ball-winner in front of the backline.

£34m for a player of Danilo’s all-round quality would be a superb deal for United and one which could finally fill the void left by Casemiro in recent months.

Whilst Santos is undoubtedly a solid addition for Carrick’s men, a deal for his compatriot would be the perfect solution to the club’s ongoing hunt for a new deep-lying option.