According to a report in the Express, Manchester United are eyeing Wolves’ midfielder Joao Gomes as Casemiro’s replacement.
Joao Gomes moved to Wolves from Brazilian side Flamengo in January of 2023 for a fee of around £16 million and since moving to the English Premier League, the midfielder has been one of the most consistent performers for the Molineux outfit.
The 23-year-old is yet to make play for the national team but he can make his debut for Brazil during the ongoing international break. He signed a five-year deal with Wolves with an option to extend for a further year and his current market value is £24 million.
Wolves are not particularly keen to sell such an important player but they do value him at £40 million and some experts believe they could end up quoting around £50-60 million if a big club comes calling.
Can Joao Gomes replace Casemiro?
Casemiro’s first season with Manchester United was top-class as he singlehandedly took control of United’s midfield but this time around the experienced pro has seen a major dip in form.
Constant injuries have deprived Casemiro of consistent game time and whenever he’s played, the 32-year-old has looked really jaded and out of sync.
Joao Gomes, on the other hand, has featured in 22 Premier League games for Wolves, scoring two goals in 18 shots.
Defensively, he has blocked nine shots along with 17 interceptions and on top of that, the 23-year-old has also made a staggering 137 recoveries. He’s a robust CDM who likes to go into tackles which is very evident from the 6 yellow cards he’s picked up so far in the EPL.
Kobbie Mainoo has cemented his place in the Man United midfielder and if Joao Gomes is available for around £50 million, the Brazilian can be a great summer signing.
Replacing a player like Casemiro is no easy feat but the ex-Madrid player is a shadow of his self when he was with the Los Blancos and right now, he is a massive burden for Manchester United.
Casemiro is the second-highest earner for United, earning £300,000 per week and the new management will definitely want him off the books in the summer. Joao Gomes is obviously not the only CDM that the club is looking at but the Wolves midfielder is definitely a prime candidate to replace his international teammate, more so if he can keep performing consistently for the remainder of the season.
