While Manchester United ended up signing Casemiro from Real Madrid for a hefty fee, the Brazilian was never their first choice to bolster Erik ten Hag’s midfield.
That man was Frenkie de Jong, and the Red Devils did their best to convince the Dutchman to move to Old Trafford, to no avail.
Barcelona were happy to take the money from Manchester United, as it would have meant getting the midfielder’s big wages off their bill, but it was the player himself who refused to move, at least for the time being.
That could change in January, if Sport are to be believed, as they claim that his wages, stemming from the renewal he signed with the previous board, ‘continue to create resentment’.
Not only that, but he ‘continues to have problems adapting to the positional game that Xavi Hernández demands of him’, meaning he isn’t exactly having the time of his life in the early days of the season.
He has ‘not negotiated a reduction’ of his salary, which is something Barcelona wanted from him, and ‘neither has an exit been considered, despite having a market, with important offers’ from both Manchester United and Chelsea arriving in the summer.
With a new midfield of Sergio Busquets, Gavi and Pedri seemingly taking shape at the Spotify Camp Nou, and ‘given the complexity of his contractual situation’, Sport claim that ‘it cannot be ruled out that market movements will resume in the winter window’.
A ray of hope for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, then?
