New Man Utd Casemiro alternative revealed but PSG and Juve in the race
Robin Bairner
- 20 Nov 2023 07:52 CST
- 4 min read
Manchester United’s hunt for a replacement for Casemiro has seen them turn their attention towards Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana.
Casemiro has struggled for both form and fitness this season at Old Trafford, leading to reports that Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag will seek to replace him.
FootballTransfers has revealed Man Utd's interest in Andre while the Red Devils have also been linked with Arthur Vermeleeen as a potential successor to the former Real Madrid star.
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The Brazil international has been hotly linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, which could manifest itself as early as the January transfer window. This would mean that United would have to move early to find a replacement.
Monaco’s Fofana earmarked as one particular option, according to Calciomercato, although competition would arrive from both PSG and Juventus for a player who has been given a price tag of just €30 million.
Given that Fofana’s peak transfer valuation has hit nearly €40m according to FootballTransfers’ Player Valuation Model, this could represent a smart move.
Fofana's transfer value over time
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The 24-year-old may prove difficult to prise away from Monaco at this juncture. Not only has he started every match for the Ligue 1 title challengers, but he has also played virtually every minute of the season and has twice been handed the captaincy.
Some room for optimism, though, can come from the fact that Monaco have depth in their central midfield area and could, therefore, potentially accommodate a sale without too many problems.
Fofana has the talent for Man Utd
According to data analytics firm SciSports, Fofana would be a strong addition to the Man Utd squad.
Indeed, the experts believe that the 24-year-old has the potential to become a key player at Old Trafford, with his ceiling estimated to be around the level Casemiro presently finds himself.
A 12-time capped France international, Fofana is already a superior player to Sofyan Amrabat, who was given a similar price point last summer and has a significantly higher potential level than the Morocco international.
Crucially, he would also have no problems getting a visa for the UK, meaning that a deal in January could be rushed through if necessary, although next summer appears a likelier point for any transfer.
