With youngsters and fringe players leaving Manchester United by the bucketload in the final few weeks of the window, there are a few who could yet survive the cull. Few would have imagined that Casemiro would begin 2023/24 in England rather than Saudi Arabia. But there he is, bludgeoning into tackles just like old times and – occasionally – taking the ball as well as the man.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
Christian Eriksen remains too, for now at least. Fabrizio Romano tells Caught Offside that Manchester United have not received a single ‘formal’ offer this summer, with Anderlecht CEO Jesper Fredberg suggesting that the veteran Dane is simply too expensive to pursue.
And then there’s Victor Lindelof. The long-serving Swede continues to hang onto his Man United career by his fingernails, but there is still time left to loosen his grip before the window closes this week.
Lazio in for Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof
Like with Eriksen and Casemiro, bids have been few and far between.
Though that could still change with the Daily Mail reporting that at least three clubs based in Europe – and a couple in Saudi Arabia – are still sniffing around. The Mail throw Fiorentina, Eintracht Frankfurt and Lazio into the mix, although a reunion with Jose Mourinho and Fred at Fenerbahce now feels unlikely.
Interestingly, Lazio have already attempted to sign one player from Man United this summer. And, after being pipped to the post by Marseille for Mason Greenwood, the Serie A outfit may be hoping that lightning does not strike twice.
“An agent this year approached us with the idea of Greenwood (moving to) Italy,” Lazio director Angelo Fabbiani told the club’s official website. “We gave him a deadline. From there, an auction was unleashed and I thought I could go up to a certain limit.
“We offered £22 million. We’re talking about 26 million euros. He preferred to take another path.”
What path Greenwood’s former Man United team-mate Lindelof ends up taking remains to be seen. Lazio, Fiorentina and Eintracht Frankfurt have only a few more days to turn their interest into something more concrete.
The Saudi Pro League window, however, closes a little later. On October 6th, to be precise.
Like back in 2023, when Eric Bailly moved to Besiktas after the close of the English window, Man United may still have the chance to get Lindelof off their books when the season is well underway.
Further departures could still happen at Old Trafford
A £30 million signing from Benfica back in 2017, Lindelof has not been involved so far this term due to an injury. Even if he was fit, however, the 30-year-old is likely to have found himself behind Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt in Erik ten Hag’s pecking order.
Lindelof will slip even further once Leny Yoro returns from his own stint on the sidelines.
It cannot be easy being the family of a footballer in the final week of the window. Your suitcases permanently on standby and your passports at the ready.
Maya Lindelof, the defender’s partner, opened up recently about the uncertainty facing her and her husband with Man United open for offers.
“We’ve been lucky because Victor has signed on for five years at a time. We have friends who have moved every year and (because the footballer is) on loan. I suffer with them. But we really knew that now we are in England.
“I have started a grieving process, because we don’t know. You never know what will happen.”
