Manchester United have drawn up a contingency transfer plan should both Casemiro and Harry Maguire leave Old Trafford when their contracts expire this summer
Casemiro and Harry Maguire in action for Manchester United
Casemiro and Harry Maguire have been faultless since Michael Carrick has come in(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
Manchester United chiefs have agreed they have to 'sign two midfielders' in the wake of Casemiro's impending exit this summer and have drawn up a contingency plan should Harry Maguire also leave. United, who plan to strengthen again in the summer, have plans to make four major signings, it has been claimed.
Casemiro, 34, announced in January that he will leave United when his contract expires at the end of the season, and his departure is set to leave the Reds with just two recognised first-team central midfielders in Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo.
And United are expected to act with 'club officials in agreement' that the Reds need to sign two players in that area. They have been monitoring Premier League midfielders with Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali among those shortlisted, according to The Sun.
The Reds are also interested in Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson, Brighton's Carlos Baleba and Bournemouth's Alex Scott.
Wharton is keen to join a Champions League club and United are third in the table, six points clear of sixth-place Chelsea in the race for a spot in Europe's elite competition.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are the current frontrunners to sign Anderson, and it's thought that United might not be able to match the salary that their nearest neighbours are set to offer him.
United wanted to sign Cameroon international Baleba last summer, but he has endured a disappointing season in a Brighton shirt and wasn't in the squad as they earned a 1-0 win at Sunderland on Saturday.
Scott has been impressive for Bournemouth this season, and there has been talk that Tottenham and Manchester City are also keen on the 22-year-old England international.
Casemiro could prove hard to replace with the Brazilian shining at the heart of United's midfield right now and scoring his seventh goal of the season in Sunday's 3-1 win against Aston Villa.
Casemiro
Casemiro is set to leave at the end of the season(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
United fans sang, 'One more year, one more year Casemiro, after the five-time Champions League winner opened the scoring for the Reds and he responded by pinching and holding the club's badge.
But despite that plea from the Reds supporters, interim head coach Michael Carrick all-but dismissed the idea of Casemiro signing a new contract and remaining at United beyond the end of his current deal.
Carrick said: "The fact that it was decided makes things a little bit easier and everyone understands the situation, really. The impact he has had has been terrific, certainly, since I’ve been here and working with him. And he’s influence within the team and big moments and goals.
"Players come and go. Some are bigger, some are maybe more important than others at different times. But I don’t think it’s ever really about replacing like for like. I think you can go in different directions.
"You understand what the balance of the squad will need, whether that’s on the pitch, off the pitch, leadership, positionally. There’s all sorts of different things going into it. Case has done some really, really good things, and certainly since I’ve been here, he’s been an absolute pleasure to work with."
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MARCH 4: Harry Maguire of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James' Park on March 4, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Maguire's contract expires at the end of the season but there has been talk of an extension(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)
View 3 Images
As well as looking to recruit in midfield, United are exploring the centre-back market should the club fail to agree a contract extension for Harry Maguire. The 33-year-old England star is approaching the final three months of his deal but has been an ever-present since Carrick's appointment in mid-January - and the club are said to want him to stay.
A renewal is being discussed, but Maguire will likely have to take a pay cut on his £180,000-a-week wages, while the 33-year-old is understood to want assurances over the length of the contract.
Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt have been plagued with injuries across the season, leaving Maguire to come in and fill the void over the last nine matches following Carrick's arrival. Maguire has shone, with the ex-Leicester man poised to earn a recall to the England squad for the first time in 18 months this month.
United are also eyeing up a new left-sided winger in the summer transfer window. Patrick Dorgu had been thriving in a more advanced role up until suffering a long-term injury in the 3-2 win at Arsenal in January, while Matheus Cunha has started the last seven matches on the left-hand flank.
Dorgu is considered a specialist left-back, but United might now view him as a winger, which could see them dip into the market for a left-sided defender instead, with Luke Shaw's contract up next summer.
A back-up goalkeeper is also on United's agenda, with Senne Lammens cementing his spot as the club's No.1, with Altay Bayindir acting as the No.2 in recent months, and Andre Onana spending the season on loan at Trabzonspor.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image