'Agreed' - Man Utd could be about to get first January wish as £70m man 'on the move'

Permanent signings at Manchester United this month hinge on the club’s ability to sell some members of their current squad with head coach Ruben Amorim restricted to loans and free agents as things stand.

Academy graduate Marcus Rashford is seeking a move away with AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League rivals West Ham United among the clubs showing an interest. The Old Trafford club are open to offers for a large chunk of their squad as they seek to provide funds to Amorim to target players who can fit into his system as he looks to stamp his identity on the starting XI.

Speaking about the club’s plans at the very end of December, Amorim said: “When the window is open, we can try to do something and we will try to do something. But I think, in the next weeks, we are going to have more time to train and we can improve, that’s the only way. We had a lot of games without training, now we will have more space to grow. You can see that the context is worse in this moment, as we had a lot of losses, so we have to manage everything."

Casemiro ‘agrees’ move

In reports relayed by Sky Sports News, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has agreed a deal to move to the Saudi Pro League this month. The 32-year-old is under contract at Old Trafford until the summer of 2026 having signed a four-year deal when he arrived for a transfer worth up to £70m from Real Madrid two-and-a-half years ago.

Since Amorim’s first game in charge - a 1-1 draw at Ipswich - Casemiro has made just six appearances for the Red Devils. Two of those were in the Premier League at the end of December as United lost to Wolves and Newcastle United. He did not feature in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield and has fallen behind Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo in the pecking order. Given that United need funds before they can consider permanent deals, interest from the Saudi Pro League comes as a boost given that any transfer would involve a fee as Casemiro has 18 months to run on his United contract.

Ronaldo wants Casemiro reunion

Just this week, it was claimed United legend Cristiano Ronaldo urged his Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr to make a move for Casemiro. The pair played together for a few months at United before the former Sporting CP’s outspoken rant against the club that sparked his departure.

“I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have another three games left at the top level. The next two league games and the cup final, then he should be thinking, I need to go to the MLS or Saudi,” former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher famously said on Sky Sports after a high-profile 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

"This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time. I always remember the saying 'leave the football before the football leaves you'. The football has left him. At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move. The level of that player, he should not be putting himself through this. He is too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that being laughed at by Crystal Palace. He needs to call it a day."