If Erik ten Hag had his way, Manchester United wouldn't have signed Casemiro in the summer transfer window. There is no way he'd swap him for anyone else now, though.
It is no secret that Frenkie de Jong was made the top target as Ten Hag looked to strengthen in midfield, with the new United manager keen to add creativity to a side that is so often seen scratching their heads. Barcelona were happy to sell, but there were problems over the Dutch international's wage deferral and a rather difficult hurdle to overcome: he didn't want to leave.
After signing Christian Eriksen, there may have been a temptation to avoid signing another elite midfielder in order to keep the door open for a future move for De Jong. United still hold an interest in the 25-year-old, just as they do with Jude Bellingham. A top team admires a top player—who would have thought that?
