manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Marshall: Casemiro replacement, summer sales and academy plan - Man United questions answered

Our senior Manchester United writer Tyrone Marshall answers your questions on the club and what is going on at Old Trafford.

Sandro Tonali, Casemiro and Elliot Anderson all feature in today's Manchester United Q&A

View Image

It's been a good week at Old Trafford. Manchester United got back on the winning trail with a 3-1 success against Aston Villa in what could turn out to be a critical weekend in the race for Champions League football.

With Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool all dropping points, it meant United took a significant step towards a return to Europe's top table and the win further strengthened Carrick's chances of landing the job.

Carrick's side are back in action at Bournemouth on Friday, before a 24-day break ahead of facing Leeds. There is plenty on the agenda, with United fans hoping Casemiro can stay on and club officials starting to plan for the transfer window.

HEREHEREHEREHERE.

We run weekly question and answer sessions, so click here to submit your questions, and we'll answer them next week. Here are the answers to some of this week's questions:

Is Casemiro getting a new contract?

We had quite a few questions on Casemiro after his latest star turn on Sunday, which ended with the Old Trafford crowd asking him to do one more year. This is the most succinct of those questions, and the most succinct answer is no.

One question focused on whether Casemiro would change his mind about leaving, but as much as the song might be phrased that way, this isn't the player's decision. I get the impression Casemiro would be willing to stay, depending on the contract offer, but United have made the decision not to offer him a new deal.

That call was made early in the season and only made public in January. United have no plans to U-turn and offer a new deal now. Casemiro is 34 and on £350,000-a-week. Any new deal would be a huge financial commitment on a player who might not find the going quite as easy next season, when United will hope to play 55-60 games, rather than 40.

Enjoy him while you can, because Casemiro is not getting a new contract. He has eight games left in a United shirt.

Who would be the perfect replacement for Casemiro?

That is the question occupying minds at United at the moment. Not just who is the perfect replacement, but how attainable are they and what will they cost?

Elliot Anderson is the ideal target. He is proven in the Premier League, now an established England international and still only 23. The problem with Anderson is that Manchester City love him as well and it is City who might just be ahead in that battle at the moment. If Nottingham Forest stay up, the fee for Anderson could easily get close to £100million.

The prospect of signing Sandro Tonali has strengthened since January as well. The Italian is ready to leave Newcastle, and although it has been suggested his priority might be returning to Italy, financially, it's almost impossible to see that happening.

Tonali is also proven in the Premier League and only two years older than Anderson. Signing him from Newcastle will be more complicated than signing Anderson. Forest are aware the player has outgrown them, but Newcastle won't let Tonali go without a fight.

Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba are options as well. Wharton has had a solid season but hasn't impressed to the extent that Tonali and Anderson have. It would be a leap of faith to go with Baleba, who has had a very difficult year at Brighton.

Will Ugarte, Malacia and Mount be sold in the summer?

We had two questions on Malacia this week. One asking if he will be sold, the other suggesting he is a useful squad player and should stay. His days are numbered, however, and he won't be sold as he is out of contract in the summer, so he will leave on a free transfer.

Ugarte is on the list of players likely to be sold as well. He hasn't started a game since the switch to 4-2-3-1 and doesn't have the profile to play in that system for United. His passing isn't good enough and he hasn't made a strong enough case over the last two years to remain at the club.

Mount is the interesting one here. I wouldn't expect him to be sold at all. Carrick likes him and he is a coach's dream. He was having a good season until his latest injury, although there is a question of where his role is since the shift in formation.

He is a valuable squad player, however, and offers enough versatility to get his share of games next season if United are back in the Champions League and facing a more demanding schedule.

Can United finish second in the Premier League?

Let's be honest, it's unlikely, but it's not entirely impossible. Manchester City are in a funny spot now. One more bad result and you feel the title will be gone for them. Their next two Premier League games are away at Chelsea and at home to Arsenal, so it is make or break.

United are seven points behind them with eight games to go so would clearly need Pep Guardiola's side to fall away. A run of one win in five games suggests they are stumbling.

Even so, it would also require United to probably win at least six of their final eight games, if not more. I don't think it's going to happen, but it's not impossible. Beat Bournemouth on Friday to close the gap to four points and maybe we can talk about it again.

We have a lot of young players coming through at the moment. Is the club priorisiting them or focusing on established superstars?

The easy answer to this one is a little bit of both. United will also target big-name players, which inevitably means big fees. That is what they are doing this summer in midfield and on the wing.

But it is a balance. They want an elite-level midfielder to play alongside Kobbie Mainoo, who is one of their own. There will always be a desire to make space in the squad for the best young players and to keep a pathway clear for them.

United are well aware of the best talents in their academy and when they are likely to be exposed to first-team football. They will have a chart detailing those talents, the players ahead of them, and any potential gaps that need to be filled through the transfer market.

The strategy at United will always be to try to get academy players into the first team. The very best of them, like Mainoo, will be given exposure and opportunities.

Read full news in source page