Man Utd plan to spend Casemiro wages on TWO midfielders after Elliot Anderson blow: ‘Their top targets’ | OneFootball

Manchester United are planning to use the money saved on Casemiro’s wages on Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba, according to a report, as the chances of Elliot Anderson moving to Old Trafford in 2026 start to fade.

Even before Casemiro announced his decision this week to leave Man Utd at the end of the season, the club’s co-owners, INEOS, were planning to bring in top-quality midfielders to Old Trafford.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has long reported that Anderson, Wharton and Baleba are the three top midfield targets for Man Utd.

However, none of the aforementioned players are going to be available in the January transfer window, with their respective clubs, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion, not willing to sell them this month.

Anderson, though, looks like a fading dream for Man Utd, with our transfer insider, Dean Jones, reporting that the former Newcastle United midfielder is Manchester City’s ‘next big target’.

CaughtOffSide and The i Paper have reported that Anderson prefers Man City to Man Utd, which has left the Red Devils to focus on Wharton and Baleba.

According to Sports Boom, Man Utd are ‘all in’ for Wharton and Baleba in the summer of 2026 and have made them ‘their top targets’.

With Casemiro leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season, the Red Devils are now ‘looking to put’ his wages ‘towards signing two or three players, with Wharton and Baleba top of the list’.

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Why Casemiro has decided to leave Man Utd – sources

Our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, has reported the reasons why Man Utd and Casemiro came to a decision to part ways.

We understand that the decision was made after talks between the Brazilian midfielder’s camp and Man Utd director of football, Jason Wilcox.

Bailey told us: “Wilcox had discussions with the midfielder, during which the club outlined their stance on his future.

“Man Utd were prepared to consider offering Casemiro a one‑year extension, but only on significantly reduced terms as part of their wider squad reset.

“We can confirm the 33-year-old, soon to be 34, was appreciative of the club’s willingness to keep him for another year.

“However, sources close to the player insist the former Real Madrid star felt the moment had arrived for a new chapter.

“Rather than dragging the situation into the summer window, he opted to make his decision clear early, allowing Man Utd to plan accordingly.”# A source with knowledge of the situation told Bailey: “All sides are appreciative of how things have been handled, all very amicable.

“Casemiro really did appreciate United’s stance, and the fact that at 34, he may have been handed an extension shows to him he is going to be leaving on a high.

“United love Casemiro’s professionalism and what he brings to the squad, but they fully accept the player’s belief that the right time to move on is this summer.”

Sources have told us that Interest in Casemiro is already growing, with clubs in Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer monitoring developments.

However, the Brazilian star is expected to take his time before choosing his next destination.

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Meanwhile, Man Utd are facing competition for a Barcelona midfielder, who is available to leave in the January transfer window.

There is a ‘growing belief’ that an English midfielder will turn down the chance to join Man Utd in the summer of 2026 and move to Manchester City instead.