Manchester United are desirous about signing Marc Casado and have made an enquiry to gauge the Barcelona midfielder’s potential availability, in accordance with reports in Spain.
Casado broke out of Barca’s academy ranks to make his senior breakthrough back in 2022 and has gone on to make 60 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan giants.
In that point, Casado has won 4 pieces of silverware with Barca, including last season’s La Liga title, wherein he made 23 appearances across the club’s triumphant top-flight campaign.
Nonetheless, Casado is much from a guaranteed starter under Hansi Flick, making just ten league starts this term, and there may be mounting speculation that the 22-year-old midfielder could up sticks in pursuit of more regular minutes.
In line with Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Casado has previously been reluctant to even consider offers to maneuver on from the Camp Nou, where it has been his ‘lifelong dream’ to a first-team star.
But Atletico Madrid have identified Casado as a possible alternative for Conor Gallagher, who joined Tottenham this January, and the Spain international ‘isn’t ruling out’ a proposed switch to the Spanish capital.
While Atleti first explored a move for Casado last summer, it’s claimed there continues to be no ‘formal offer’ on the table from Diego Simeone’s side because it stands.
Get your football fix
Don’t desire to miss the week’s biggest football stories? Metro’s exclusive football newsletter, In The Mixer, is your essential guide.
From the newest transfer rumours and managerial moves to evaluation of the most important games and quite a bit more, our experts have you ever covered.
Join here, it’s an open goal.
Wolves’ Joao Gomes and Atalanta’s Ederson are also on Atleti’s radar as possible additions in central midfield – but each players would likely command significantly higher transfer fees than Casado.
Casado – who has been capped twice by the Spanish national team – has been keen to remain put until the top of the season and his initial idea was to prioritise a move overseas.
Nonetheless, he now views Atleti as a ‘favourable’ option and is waiting to see how the situation develops in the ultimate two weeks of the January transfer window.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to an online
browser that
supports HTML5
video
The report adds that Manchester United and have also made an initial approach for Casado having ‘closely monitored’ the combative midfielder for a while.
Molineux is mooted as one other potential destination for Casado, with the teen placed on Wolves’ shortlist of midfield targets this winter.
Casado – who has previously been linked with Chelsea – is tied right into a contract with Barca until June 2028.
Facing the media ahead of his side’s 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad, Barca head coach Flick made it clear he would like to maintain hold of Casado in the interim.
Asked what Dro Fernandez’s proposed move to PSG may mean for the long run of each Casado and Marc Bernal, Flick replied: ‘I don’t know. My idea is for everybody to remain.
‘Dro’s situation isn’t completely finalised yet, however it’s football,
‘There are players who’re 17 or 18 years old, but there are people around them who make decisions. But I don’t need to say anything more.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Marc Guehi explains decision snub Arsenal and Liverpool transfers to sign for Man City
MORE: Chelsea tipped to make two ‘sensible signings’ before transfer deadline
MORE: Arsenal hero claims Luis Enrique wouldn’t work with Man Utd ‘clowns’