Manchester United’s search for a long-term Casemiro replacement just keeps getting messier. They wanted Ederson from Atalanta. They got him. But Ederson is more of a box-to-box guy, not a true anchor. Then they targeted Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali, both Premier League tested, both priced out of reach by INEOS. Mateus Fernandes looked like the next best bet but Tottenham blew them out of the water with a massive offer.
Now the list is down to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Tyler Adams, and Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle. The 28-year-old Brazilian has two years left on his contract and is currently partnering Casemiro in midfield for Brazil at the World Cup. He’d be a smart buy — a blend of grit and grace that Michael Carrick would love to have at the base of midfield.
But here’s the thing: Newcastle does not want to sell him. They’ve already lost Tonali and Anthony Gordon this summer. Losing their captain too? That would sting. According to Football Insider, the Magpies are preparing a big contract offer to keep Guimaraes on Tyneside for several more years. The idea is to avoid a tough situation next summer when his deal will be down to a year and his value starts dropping.
Arsenal are reportedly the frontrunners if he does move, with £65 million as the magic number. But United is still hanging around. They also have Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi on their radar. Carrick wants three new midfielders this window, so they might end up spreading their money around rather than going all-in on one guy.
Guimaraes would be the splash signing. He’s a proven international, a leader, and the kind of player who can dictate tempo from deep. But Newcastle sees him as the cornerstone of their rebuild, not a bargaining chip. Whether United can pry him loose depends on how much they’re willing to pay and how far Newcastle is willing to bend. Right now, neither side is giving much ground.
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