Gary Neville explains why Erik ten Hag won't sign another player like Casemiro
Gary Neville believes Erik ten Hag will not sign any more established superstars at Manchester United - despite Casemiro's sensational impact.
The Brazil international, 31, joined United from Real Madrid in a £70million deal last summer after winning five Champions League titles in the Spanish capital. Casemiro has made an immediate impact at Old Trafford - helping Ten Hag's side win the Carabao Cup.
Many onlookers believe Casemiro has been United's best player this season, but Neville thinks Ten Hag wants to bring in "younger and hungrier" stars in future transfer windows. The former Ajax boss is hoping to improve United's squad in the summer.
"I feel like Ten Hag is not going to sign [marquee names]," Neville told The Overlap in Focus, in partnership with Sky Bet. "If new owners come in they’re going to want to make a statement, they’ll want to blow the transfer market open. I don’t think that will suit him."
The Glazers put United up for sale last November and it is unclear how the takeover process will unfold between now and the summer. Ten Hag made only loan signings in January - signing Marcel Sabitzer, Jack Butland and Wout Weghorst.
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Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe have both submitted offers to complete a full takeover of the club. The Glazers, who took charge of United in 2005, are unpopular with supporters after a decade of stagnation.
Casemiro won the Carabao Cup with Manchester United last Sunday (Getty Images)Do you agree with Gary Neville? Let us know in the comments below!
Yet the Glazers have not promised to sell and may accept bids from minority investors. When they announced their intention to sell last November, the Americans insisted they would consider a number of strategic options - "including new investment into the club".
However the takeover saga unfolds, Ten Hag will be hoping for some clarity by the time the next transfer window opens. Neville has backed the Dutchman to build a younger squad.
The ex-defender added: "I think he’ll want those younger, hungrier ones that have still got that growth rather than the finished article. Casemiro obviously defeats that a little bit, but you look at Antony and Lisandro Martinez, they’re younger and hungrier.
"I think that’s the type of player he’ll want to add to this squad rather than saying, 'Oh, Kylian Mbappe’s available or so-and-so is available'. But Casemiro, there’s no doubt – we all said it by the way – £60m? £70m?
"And £20m-a-year [contract] for five years is a £170m investment. That is a massive investment. It’s not a smart or shrewd signing when you look at it from a [big picture] point of view. None of us thought that."
Casemiro's impact at United was clearer than ever during the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle at Wembley last Sunday. The experienced midfielder scored and won the Alan Harder Trophy - given to the Man of the Match - for his role in the 2-0 victory.
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