Manchester United happy with Casemiro after missing out of Frenkie de Jong during the recent transfer window

Some people at Manchester United are glad about signing Casemiro over Frenkie de Jong this summer. They believe the Brazilian is a better addition to Erik ten Hag’s squad than the Barcelona midfielder, according to The Athletic (Subscription Required) [h/t Express].

United pursued De Jong for most of the summer, only for the player to stay in Spain. With a move for the Dutch midfielder looking unlikely, the Red Devils turned towards alternatives. And the club ‘dipped into the pool of midfielders proposed by agents’.

Adrien Rabiot was a name being considered by United. However, in the end, the club signed Casemiro from Real Madrid. Ten Hag approved the signing and the Brazilian made a £60 million move to Old Trafford.

The Manchester-based club seemingly needed to add reinforcements to the middle of the park. The summer saw a large contingent of United midfielders leaving for free. Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata ended their association with the club.

Christian Eriksen was one of the first signings the Old Trafford side made this summer to bolster the midfield. The Danish national has immediately become a key member of the starting lineup for the new manager.

Casemiro a solid player

Casemiro, though, has endured a slow start to his United career. The 30-year-old has started just one game, and that ended in a defeat. Real Sociedad visited Old Trafford and beat the Red Devils 1-0.

However, Casemiro is someone who has won multiple trophies. The Brazilian has been one of the best defensive midfielders over the years. The 30-year-old is capable of breaking down opposition attacks and protecting the backline.

De Jong, on the other hand, is a player who seems to be more comfortable playing a bit further in the middle of the park. The 25-year-old is more of a box-to-box player. As such, while he is quality, the Holland international is not someone renowned for his defensive work.

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United have put faith in Casemiro. It remains to be seen how the Brazilian goes about his business in Manchester. And what the 30-year-old’s signing means for the Red Devils’ pursuit of De Jong is unknown.