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Man Utd January Transfer Plans in Tatters as MLS Clubs Eye Casemiro Deal

Published

2 hours ago

2 January 2026

Man Utd January Transfer Plans in Tatters as MLS Clubs Eye Casemiro Deal

Manchester United’s January transfer plans could be thrown out of the window after it emerged that MLS clubs are showing an interest in a deal for Casemiro, according to the Daily Mail.

United are keen to strengthen their squad in 2026, with a new central midfielder understood to be the top target, but the current plan is for moves to be made in the summer rather than this month, unless a big opportunity arises.

However, that plan could be forced to change as there is interest in a key member of the Old Trafford squad, which could see him leave the club in January rather than at the end of the season.

MLS Interest in Casemiro

Manchester United's Casemiro in action against Everton.

Casemiro, who earns £350,000-a-week at Old Trafford before bonuses, is currently out of contract at the club this summer, and there are talks ongoing about a renewal on lesser terms to extend his stay.

However, with no agreement in place for an extension, it has opened the door for a potential exit this month, and MLS clubs are showing about signing him ahead of their new season beginning in March.

While Man Utd would prefer to keep the Brazil international until the summer at least, the chance to potentially secure a transfer fee rather than losing him for nothing could be something that they find to be too appealing to pass up on. That could then see them make a move to bring in a new midfielder to replace him, which could spark chaos over the coming weeks.

The former Real Madrid star, dubbed ‘unbelievable’, has been a regular for Ruben Amorim’s side this season, starting 16 of the 19 Premier League games so far in this campaign, and registering four goals in the process.

Man Utd Can’t Afford to Lose Casemiro

While there are doubts over his long-term place in the squad, Casemiro is one of the first names on the teamsheet for Amorim at the moment, and with good reason too.

The team is far more compact and efficient defensively when he is on the pitch, while the 33-year-old brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality to a relatively young squad too. Losing him mid-season would be catastrophic because a replacement simply isn’t that easy to find, while it’s already evident how much worse the team are without him.

While bringing in some money for an aging player who will likely be phased out soon would be good for business, it wouldn’t be beneficial on the pitch, and that should be the most important consideration for the decision-makers at the club.