Casemiro’s successor at Man United is £47m ace who’s proven to make Bruno Fernandes better

Manchester United need a midfielder to play the number six role under Ruben Amorim, with Casemiro not exactly getting any younger.

Carlos Baleba was the name linked to United in the summer, with the Cameroonian from Brighton their number one target.

What scuppered this deal? Brighton’s reluctance to sell, alongside Baleba’s ludicrous £100m+ price tag. The 21-year-old would cost a pretty penny to move across to Old Trafford.

So, with January approaching, should United look at cheaper alternatives? One option could definitely be Ruben Neves.

Manchester United should sign Ruben Neves

Neves is a Premier League-proven midfielder with all the characteristics to flourish in Ruben Amorim’s system.

Neves is technically world-class, has an elite passing range, and is also defensively astute. Partnered with Bruno Fernandes in midfield, he’d be superb.

Right now, Neves currently plies his trade at Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League after a £47m move in 2023, but TBR Football revealed a few weeks back that Neves is eyeing a Premier League return.

We confirmed that Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United were all spoken to in the summer about Neves, and they are again being kept informed.

At just 28 years old, he’s far from past it and is still performing at the highest level internationally for Portugal.

He was the man of the match against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday night, scoring the goal to win the game in the 89th minute.

Ruben Neves proven to play well with Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United’s star man Fernandes is rumoured to leave, but if Neves were acquired, it would be sensible to keep him around.

Neves and Fernandes have linked up a whopping 60 times together for their country, and Portugal is where the Manchester United captain thrives – scoring and assisting goals for fun.

Neves has also openly expressed a desire for his national teammates to come and join him at Al-Hilal. He told A Bola:

“I recommend all the players in the national team, of course. Portugal has produced a lot of talent and continues to do so. We are a lucky country in that respect. We are also very hard-working. A very small country but one that has produced excellent players. I would like to have any player from the national team in my team.”

Our recommendation? The two should be playing together at club level – only not in the Middle East, but at Old Trafford.

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