3 implications of Casemiro's move to Manchester United

Manchester United have completed the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, with a medical expected in the coming days.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Brazilian signed a four-year contract with the option of a one-year extension for a deal worth €70 million.

He became the fourth summer signing for the Old Trafford outfit after Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez, taking the Red Devils' net spend to €142.4 million.

Manchester United haven't had an ideal start to their 2022-23 Premier League campaign. A 1-2 loss at home against Brighton & Hove Albion was followed by a 0-4 defeat at the hands of Brentford. They will now host rivals Liverpool on Monday, August 22.

United currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table, having conceded six goals. An own goal from Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister remains their only goal this season.

With Casemiro likely to make his debut next weekend, he may boost the club's need to get back to winning ways. The 30-year-old Brazil international built his reputation as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world at Real Madrid. His ability to protect the defense and contribute significantly in attack makes him the best player in his position.

With the player close to making his Premier League debut, here are three implications of his move to Manchester United.

For a few seasons, Manchester United have lacked a defensive midfielder, with neither Scott McTominay nor Fred able to perform that role effectively. This has hindered the club's defensive transition, leaving them susceptible to counter-attacks. Notably, three of the goals they conceded at Brentford came from counter attacks.

Casemiro provides a solution to the problems in the defensive midfield. The Brazil international will provide defensive cover for the back line, providing the full-backs the freedom to press forward. He will shield the defense effectively and won't shy away from making professional fouls if needed.

Casemiro's reputation as an elite defensive midfielder doesn't stop him from moving forward when the need arises. He was known for driving the ball forward for Los Blancos under their former boss Zinedine Zidane, scoring four La Liga goals in the 2019-20 season. He also provided an assist during Real Madrid's 2-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Super Cup this season.

Besides Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United lack aerial presence. They lack a midfielder to drive forward with and without the ball at their feet. Casemiro brings this ability to the United side. He is not the most dangerous player in the box but is capable of scoring a few key goals.

Clearly, Manchester United fans are not pleased with the board's activities. They've barely brought in any quality reinforcements this summer. The club spent almost the entirety of the summer pursuing Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, a deal that never came close to fruition.

They were also targeting Marko Arnautovic and Adrien Rabiot. The deal for Rabiot only broke down because of the ridiculous demands from the French midfielder's camp.

Fans and former players expressed their displeasure publicly and blamed the club's poor performance on the lack of investment by their American owners. Signing an elite player like Casemiro could be the Glazers' way of trying to win back the love of the fans.

With the summer transfer window closing in a few days, Manchester United could be looking to bring in a few more recruits. They are interested in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with the Serie A side looking at a deal of no less than €65 million.