BREAKING NEWS: Coming live from Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United makes move to sign Manchester city star as club still in search of Casemiro replacement. According to reports from Footballwave, one of Manchester United’s alternative is man city star who is seen as a better option to casemiro. The Manchester city star who is valued at £45m by Transfermarket, had 8 goals and 9 assists in 34 appearances in the Premier League in 2023-24. As United are looking to replace Casemiro and acquire a new midfield partner for Mainoo, this could be a perfect addition. Man Utd looking at £45m “box-crasher” to replace Casemiro.
Manchester United have demonstrated their ambition in the transfer market this summer under the new ownership of INEOS, securing highly-regarded defender Leny Yoro from Lille and striker Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna.
After a disappointing 2023/24 Premier League season where they finished eighth, United managed to salvage their season by winning the FA Cup, defeating rivals Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley with goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo in the first half.
This FA Cup victory secured United’s qualification for the Europa League next season. However, with significant investment, the club’s aim is to return to the Champions League for the 2025/26 campaign.
In the latest transfer news, reports from Football Transfers suggest that Manchester United is considering PSV Eindhoven’s Joey Veerman as an alternative to PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte. To make room for this acquisition, United is reportedly looking to sell Scott McTominay, asking for £40 million for the Scotland international. Veerman, valued at £34 million by Transfermarkt, had an impressive season with PSV, making 41 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals, providing 19 assists, and playing a total of 3,420 minutes.
Veerman’s playing style has been compared to Manchester City’s Rodri, according to FBref’s “similar players” feature. With United seeking to replace Casemiro and find a new midfield partner for Mainoo, Veerman could be an ideal addition. His technical security on the ball, ability to screen the defense, break down opposition counterattacks, and control the game’s tempo make him a potential key player for United.
A comparison of Veerman, Rodri, and Casemiro’s stats per 90 minutes shows Veerman’s strengths:
– Non-Penalty Goals: Veerman (0.19), Rodri (0.22), Casemiro (0.13)
– Shots Total: Veerman (2.19), Rodri (1.84), Casemiro (1.84)
– Assists: Veerman (0.60), Rodri (0.27), Casemiro (0.08)
– Shot-Creating Actions: Veerman (9.48), Rodri (5.06), Casemiro (1.93)
– Passes Attempted: Veerman (83.99), Rodri (113.85), Casemiro (63.69)
– Progressive Passes: Veerman (11.86), Rodri (12.28), Casemiro (5.15)
– Progressive Carries: Veerman (1.96), Rodri (2.85), Casemiro (0.54)
– Key Passes: Veerman (4.91), Rodri (1.61), Casemiro (0.71)
– Tackles: Veerman (2.57), Rodri (2.08), Casemiro (3.73)
– Aerials Won: Veerman (1.17), Rodri (1.46), Casemiro (1.76)
Veerman, described as a “box crasher” by analyst Ben Mattinson, brings a variety of skills to the game beyond his goal-scoring ability. His creative passing metrics are impressive, making 4.91 key passes per 90 and 11.86 progressive passes per 90. These numbers are comparable to Rodri, who makes 12.28 progressive passes per 90, underscoring Veerman’s potential to dictate the game from a deeper position. This skill was evident in his performances for the Netherlands in Euro 2024, which drew comparisons to Rodri.
Adding Veerman’s technical qualities, passing variation, and ball-carrying ability to United’s midfield would enhance their build-up play and free Mainoo to move higher up the pitch into more dangerous areas. Defensively, Veerman also contributes significantly, making 2.57 tackles, 1.13 blocks, and winning 1.17 aerial duels per 90 minutes. These numbers are close to those of Rodri and not far behind Casemiro, who is starting to decline due to age.
Overall, acquiring Joey Veerman could provide Manchester United with the technical security, creativity, and defensive capabilities needed to strengthen their midfield and support their ambitions of returning to the Champions League.
