Manchester United are said to be open to signing the next Moises Caicedo as they look to replace Casemiro in the coming months. The Brazilian midfielder has six months left on his contract, but so far there is no written contract renewal with the Old Trafford outfit.
Former Chelsea ace John Obi Mikel named United’s long-term target Carlos Baleva as a potential option, telling the Daily Mail: “I think they need a midfielder. I think they’re talking about Carlos Baleva from Brighton. A young player, I think he’s a great, really good player. I think it will help Manchester United in terms of the players they need. I mean we’re getting Caicedo for Chelsea.”
“I think they’re going to need a player like that. Believe me, Casemiro, I respect him, he’s a great player. He’s a legend in this game. But sometimes when you lose your legs, you’re gone. This is the Premier League. You can’t hide it. And in the Premier League it’s easy to find out. So, for me, as much as I respect Casemiro, I think Manchester United need another holding player.”
Brighton ace Baleva was linked with a move to United in the summer, but the Reds were unable to find enough leeway after spending big on the likes of Benjamin Sesco, Brian Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. However, Mikel believes United are still a long way from being competitive and supports another big spending spree in the coming months.
“Players at a football club, I think at some point you always have to look at the players and not the manager. You have to look at the players and look at every individual. Who is the right fit for this football club, the players? Are they good enough to represent Manchester United? Or do they need to be…They are in the process of rebuilding too. That’s good for the club.”
“They’ve brought in some new players, Mbeumo, Cunha. I think they’re great players. But if they want to start competing to win the league, I think they need to be a little more defensive and bring in different defenders.”
