Manchester United are now stepping up their transfer pursuit of Noah Sadiki, but Sunderland are desperate to keep hold of the midfielder.
Man Utd add another midfielder to summer transfer shortlist
With Casemiro, and potentially Manuel Ugarte, set to leave Man United in the summer, a major rebuild will be needed in the middle of the park, and they have already added a whole host of central midfielders to their shortlist.
As you'd expect, the Red Devils' targets from within the Premier League are likely to command a very high fee, which could make replacing Casemiro a costly operation, with the Brazilian reaffirming his decision to leave at the end of the campaign.
Man Utd stepping up stunning Noah Sadiki pursuit
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man United have also intensified their pursuit of Sunderland midfielder Sadiki, who only arrived at the Stadium of Light last summer, joining from Union SG in a £15m deal.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton are also credited with an interest in the central midfielder, but the Black Cats are desperate to keep hold of him, and have made it clear he is a key part of their long-term plans, which could make a deal difficult to orchestrate.
The 21-year-old was lauded as "incredible" by journalist James Copley earlier this season, as a result of the amount of ground he'd covered in the Premier League, but Casemiro is outperforming the youngster across several key metrics.
Premier League stats Casemiro Noah Sadiki
Goals 8 0
Tackles per 90 2.9 1.5
Accurate long balls per 90 2.9 1.2
Blocks per 90 0.7 0.4
Defensive contributions per 90 11.6 7.9
As such, Sadiki may not currently be at the level to replace the 84-time Brazil international, and it may be worth Man United spending big on one of their other midfield targets.
Elliot Anderson
England's Elliot Anderson during the press conference
Having averaged a FotMob match rating of 7.47, Anderson is ranked as the seventh-best performing player in the entire Premier League this season, and he has established himself at international level, becoming a key part of Thomas Tuchel's midfield.
The England star is averaging a combined 4.0 tackles and interceptions in the top flight, slightly more than Casemiro's figure of 3.9, which suggests he has the defensive attributes to replace the 34-year-old.
Bruno-Fernandes Related
Ranked: The best midfielders in the Premier League (2025/26)
Does anyone come close to Bruno Fernandes right now?
Sandro Tonali
Tonali-Anderson-Newcastle-Forest
Tonali, on the other hand, has proven himself in the Premier League over a much longer timeframe than Sadiki, having made 74 appearances in the competition, during which time he's picked up five goals and four assists.
The Italian also has the seal of approval from Paul Scholes, with the United legend ranking him over Declan Rice earlier this season.