New Casemiro has told Man Utd he wants to sign him

Champions League football is back on the menu for Manchester United. It is an achievement that has earned Michael Carrick a permanent job. At this point, you'd be a fool not to give him the reins.

That said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer offers a cautionary tale. He had a friendly face, very popular. However, Carrick has more to him than that and he has the tools in his arsenal to be successful.

In particular, the hierachy is in a much better place than when Ole was in the dugout. Sure, Sir Jim and Co may not have got everything right but it's a very efficient machine now.

It's a big summer for those at the top. Not only do they have to look at who will be the next manager, but they need to oversee significant investment in the playing squad. The big deal will be signing a new midfielder.

The latest in Manchester United's midfield hunt

As the weeks go on, it seems unlikely that Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson will end up in the red of Manchester.

He is United's number one target and they would love to be able to lure him to Old Trafford. However, with a price tag that could rise to £100m, it has understandably made rivals Manchester City favorites to secure his signature.

A club should always have a backup plan and luckily for the Red Devils, their midfield list is a long one. Ederson is high on their agenda with reports this week suggesting they have already made the player a contract offer.

Speaking of contract offers, United have already completed a lot of work on another midfielder. That happened to Carlos Baleba.

While the likes of Tonali and Anderson remain big-money targets, it is believed that Baleba could cost less, somewhere in the £75m-£80m range.

That's still a huge sum but unlike the Nottingham Forest star, the Brighton midfielder has given United assurances that he wants a move to sign.

That's according to Fabrizio Romano. Writing in his GiveMeSport column this week, the journalist noted: “Anderson remains among the top midfield targets, but Manchester City are leading the race with a significant offer expected for the player and Nottingham Forest as well. Talks will follow shortly, although Manchester United are still monitoring the situation.”

Speaking of other targets, Romano revealed: “Brighton and Hove Albion's Baleba and Atalanta's Ederson have both been on the shortlist since last summer, with Baleba – valued at around £80m according to various reports – already having a deal on personal terms with United from August 2025.”

Why Baleba could be Man United's new Casemiro

The way United of Brazil play hard this term has been very good. With nine goals in 33 Premier League games, it's the best goalscoring season of his career.

However, he will leave in the summer when his contract expires, reportedly heading to Inter Miami where he will join Lionel Messi and Co.

He will leave big shoes to fill, shoes that can't be filled well by someone like Anderson. The truth, however, is that the judges are still very critical of Baleba.

Find the 2024/25 version of the Cameroon midfielder and you will win. Get the 2025/26 version and this could be a repeat of Manuel Ugarte for those at Old Trafford.

Indeed, the data points to a player who has regressed in that club's campaign over the past 18 months, something that should worry whoever the new manager is.

Analyzing the numbers, it's shocking, but it's easy to forget that Baleba is only 22 years old. He has a lot of room to grow and he has Premier League experience. He has proven that he can do it at a high level.

If United get the 2024/25 version, it would represent a good replacement for Casemiro. During that time, he was in the top 15% of midfielders in the Premier League for 90 dribbles at 1.11, showing a developing ability that could add a lot to United's side. After all, if there was one criticism of Casemiro, it's that he no longer has the legs to strike in the middle of the park.

At his best, Baleba was also among the best midfielders at 17% in England's top division in duels winning 6.71 out of 90.

To put those two numbers into context, United's big Brazilian won 6.61 duels per 90 minutes in 2025/26, putting him on par with the Brighton star last season. In that respect, they are very similar. However, Casemiro makes only 0.22 dribbles per game.

In terms of football progression and strength, they will certainly be getting improvements from aging and tired legs. In terms of physical fitness, Baleba has shown that he is a real person. If United complete the deal, they will need to find form for 2024/25 as soon as possible.