Man Utd news: Ideal Casemiro replacement ‘available for £43m’ | Football | Sport
Michael Carrick is vying for the permanent Manchester United job. (Image: Getty)
Manchester United dismantled Aston Villa 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Michael Carrick has now secured seven victories from nine matches this campaign, with Champions League qualification appearing increasingly achievable. Carrick’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle in their last fixture and benefited from an extended break between games due to their absence from the FA Cup.
They welcomed Unai Emery’s team at the weekend and following a scoreless opening period, triumphed 3-1 courtesy of goals from Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. An away fixture against high-flying Bournemouth awaits them next, but beyond the club, a former player made his much-anticipated comeback.
Scott McTominay, who has flourished in Italy with Napoli since departing United in August 2024, returned from injury on Saturday evening.
The Scotland international was brought on at half-time against Lecce, with Antonio Conte’s team losing 1-0, and he made quite the impression. Here, Express Sport provides you with the latest developments from Old Trafford.
Scott McTominay shines upon comeback
McTominay had been unavailable since February due to tendon inflammation and was absent for approximately a month, during which Napoli’s medical team adopted a careful strategy. However, with his team behind by a goal, Conte opted to bring back the 29-year-old at the interval, and his judgement proved correct.
The midfielder quickly brought stability to the centre of the pitch and within minutes of his introduction, Napoli equalised courtesy of United loanee Rasmus Hojlund.
Their comeback was completed in the 68th minute by Matteo Politano. McTominay ended the 2-1 victory with a 90 per cent pass completion rate, reminding United of the influential player they allowed to leave for just £26million.
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Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne in action for Napoli. (Image: Getty)
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Conte said after the match: “We were losing and I had to make changes. They’re strong players but you have to give them time to get used to the pace and intensity again, and that’s not easy.
“They need to have confidence, though, because the greater good is Napoli, and since I’m dealing with well-prepared and decent players, there are no problems.
“McTominay had been out for a month. I had to take on some responsibilities, and so did they. The common good, I repeat, is Napoli and we must secure qualification for the Champions League, which is too important. It is important for the top clubs, let alone for us.”
Man Utd learn Real Madrid star’s price
As McTominay continues to excel at Napoli, another highly-rated midfielder in Europe could be looking for a way out. Reports indicate that Real Madrid star Eduardo Camavinga is a player the club are open to receiving bids for.
Marca reports that Los Blancos have set a £43m asking price for Camavinga. The Frenchman has been at the Bernabeu since 2021 after transferring from Rennes.
However, he has found playing opportunities limited recently and speculation suggests he could be amongst those facing an uncertain future. Multiple Premier League sides have reportedly registered their interest and United were initially linked with Camavinga before his move to Spain almost five years ago.
He could be the perfect replacement for the influential Casemiro, who has already announced his exit from United at the end of the season.
