Exclusive: Saudi interest in major Man United ace remains but no official proposal yet

This summer is likely to be one of the busiest that Man United have had in recent years.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe now at the helm, it was obvious that things were going to change across the board, including with regards to the first team.

Manager, Erik ten Hag, may be a casualty of the new regime if persistent rumours regarding the same turn out to be true.

Whether or not the Dutchman is given a stay of execution, it’s clear that the first-team squad needs an overhaul.

One player that’s expected to depart is the club’s top earner, Casemiro.

According to Capology, the Brazilian is currently pocketing a whopping £350,000 per week, and it has to be said that his performances over the course of this season haven’t been at the standards required to justify that kind of outlay from the club.

There aren’t many teams that would be willing to match that figure, with perhaps the Saudi Pro League as the exception.

Interest from the Gulf is there, but as Fabrizio Romano told CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing, nothing is happening right now.

No official bid for Man United ace Casemiro

“For Casemiro at the moment talks are not advanced, but the interest from Saudi is still there,” he said.

“They were interested in the midfielder last summer, and then again around October/November some calls were made to intermediaries to understand the situation.

“It’s important to mention that there was never a concrete proposal put to Manchester United.

“Let’s see what will happen with Casemiro in the next months, but interest from Saudi is still there so let’s see if they will return with a proposal.”

Whilst the player has gone off the boil when compared to the 2022/23 campaign, he is still a significant presence in the United midfield.

Were he to move to Saudi, Casemiro leaves a gaping hole that needs to be closed.

That’s where the new regime – and potential new manager/backroom team – will earn their keep.

For far too long now Man United have effectively been hiding in the shadows of the Premier League, and it’s about time this storied outfit was able to eat at the top table of domestic and European football once more.