Manchester United braced for £80m windfall as deal for Casemiro understudy eyed

Manchester United have identified Sofyan Amrabat as a player of interest throughout the summer.

The Reds now have considerable depth in the midfield – with the addition of Mason Mount to last season’s first-choice trio of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes. Fitness concerns and overall ability, however, are forcing Erik ten Hag to consider the need for additional reinforcements – specifically in defensive midfield.

Eriksen missed a chunk of 16 crucial games in 2022-23 through injury, after which he struggled to recapture his impressive early-season form. Casemiro was absent for seven matches thanks to a series of suspensions as he adapted to the English game meaning Bruno Fernandes was the only first-choice midfielder to be regularly available throughout the campaign.

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Mount can easily slot into either of the midfield positions occupied by Fernandes and Eriksen. Indeed, there is an argument to say Mount will displace Eriksen from the first team entirely.

The 31-year-old Danish midfielder failed to finish a single 90-minute league game after United’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in January as he battled with fitness issues. With this, it’s easy to see why Ten Hag may opt for an understudy to Casemiro in Amrabat.

The Fiorentina midfielder played a key part in his country's impressive run in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping Morocco reach the semi-finals where they were knocked out by beaten finalist France. Amrabat was his nation’s anchor - the same role Casemiro plays for United.