Manchester United are set to wave goodbye to Casemiro after four years at the club this summer, but who will they replace him with? The Brazilian had reportedly recommended Bruno Guimaraes as his replacement, yet it appears United are set to go down a different route altogether.

That’s because Sandro Tonali has emerged as a likely candidate to replace Casemiro at Old Trafford, with the Red Devils having earmarked the Italian as their number one midfield target. Tonali, who joined Newcastle in 2023 for £52million, has impressed with his performances for the North East-based outfit.

However, with Newcastle having been dumped out of both domestic cups, as well as the Champions League, the only thing they had left to fight for was qualification for next season’s continental competitions. But it would appear even that is already out of their reach, given Eddie Howe’s side are languishing down in 12th.

As such, some Newcastle’s biggest names are being tipped to leave, with Tonali chief among them. According to the latest set of reports, Newcastle are aware of interest from United, with the three-time European champions expected to formalise an offer in due course.

Tonali does have three years left on his contract at St. James’ Park, which does at least leave Newcastle in a strong negotiating position. Early suggestions have claimed the 2025 Carabao Cup winners will demand a fee in the region of £100m to let Tonali leave this summer.

While it will likely cost a lot, United are set to save a chunk of cash, after agreeing a deal to end Casemiro’s contract early. It’s reported that there was an automatic one-year extension if Casemiro reached a certain number of games, but after discussions, the clause was waived and the former Real Madrid ace will leave in the summer.

The prospect of signing Tonali will have tongues wagging amongst the United faithful, not least Paul Scholes’, given the former England international likened him to Declan Rice. Speaking on The Overlap earlier this season, he said: “I love Sandro Tonali as well. He’s been brilliant. Very good. I would probably choose Tonali at this point.”

When pressed on his choice, Scholes added: “Yes, you’re going to say Declan Rice, but I think he’s better than Rice. I really like Rice, don’t get me wrong, I think he’s got everything. Sometimes he takes a few too many touches of the ball and tries to look a bit more stylish than necessary. He can do everything but I just don’t think he does it enough. I prefer Tonali but they’re both good players.”