Toni Kroos story about Casemiro shows Manchester United players are about to get a wake-up call

At first it was Frenkie de Jong, then it was Frenkie de Jong, all summer long it was Frenkie de Jong, now it is Casemiro.

Manchester United's standards have slipped on the pitch and they have operated with a scattergun approach off it throughout the transfer window, but regardless of how they landed on Casemiro, they have have settled on the type of player they needed most.

Erik ten Hag has been accused in some quarters of veering off course, abandoning his philosophy early doors and giving up on his quest to sign a slick, progressive, deep-lying playmaker in favour of landing a traditional enforcer.

Also read: Why Casemiro chose United

United need both of those types of players, but it is a combative midfielder they have required for several years and it beggars belief to see the pursuit of five-times European Cup winner Casemiro questioned when Christian Eriksen started the humbling by Brentford at the base of midfield.

Ten Hag was an idealist when he arrived at United but Brighton and Brentford have turned him into a realist. De Jong would have been an excellent addition but, like Eriksen, he would not have cut the mustard as a holder.

Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp play attractive brands of football but it is not lost on them that their front fives must be propped up by steely operators—City have Rodri and Liverpool have Fabinho. Further down the food chain, Tottenham have signed Yves Bissouma, Arsenal have Thomas Partey and Chelsea have N'Golo Kante. West Ham and Leicester rounded out last season's top eight and they have Declan Rice and Wilfred Ndidi respectively.

Some sceptics are questioning Casemiro's age—30—yet Kevin De Bruyne is the best player in the Premier League at 31 and the 34-year-old Karim Benzema is a