Too little, too late: PL club finally set price tag for United target but they now want Copa America star instead

INEOS appear to have been doing their homework over a formidable midfielder to partner Kobbie Mainoo throughout his sophomore Manchester United campaign in 2024/2025.

While there have been no concrete developments as of yet, it’s thought that Casemiro will leave the club this summer following a significant drop-off in form over the past nine months.

He was undoubtedly one of Erik ten Hag’s most trusted lieutenants in 2022/2023, playing an integral role at the heart of the midfield from his first outing in a red shirt.

Spirited shift after spirited shift had Casemiro in the running for United’s Player of the Year award, but Marcus Rashford’s scintillating goalscoring form saw him reap the accolades when all was said and done.

Read more: Ten Hag is ‘driving’ United’s interest in 123-goal Serie A talisman who’s tempted by PL move

Copa America star tops United’s midfield shortlist

Nevertheless, United have found themselves heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte this week, with some reports declaring they’d even had an opening bid rejected by the Ligue 1 outfit.

Fabrizio Romano proceeded to speak out to dismiss such claims, although he did confirm that the club were sizing up a move for the 23-year-old, who is currently representing his native Uruguay at the Copa America.

Now, a fresh update from Footmercato has revealed that United are among the clubs ‘interested’ in Amadou Onana this summer.

Everton are expected to make the Belgian available for a fee between €55 million (£46m) to €60m (£50m). However, transfer chiefs at Old Trafford would prefer to sanction a deal for Ugarte over Onana and are therefore not planning to test the Toffees’ resolve as it stands.