Reports: Manchester United and PSG battle to tempt Real Madrid midfielder away with massive salary

What's the story?

Manchester United and Paris St-Germain are locked in a battle to prise away Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro from the club, according to a report in British news outlet The Daily Star, in addition to multiple reports in the Spanish press. Neymar is said to be the driving force behind PSG's interest in Casemiro, with the Brazilian superstar highly recommending his compatriot. However, the Ligue 1 giants face competition from Manchester United, as Jose Mourinho is a huge fan of Los Blancos' defensive midfielder. The Red Devils are even willing to make Casemiro one of the highest paid players at the club, since the player is reportedly happy off the pitch in Madrid.

In case you didn't know...

Casemiro was educated in the club he was a childhood fan of, coming through Sao Paulo's academy system. Having captained the youth sides, it was not much of a surprise when he made his debut for the senior team in 2010, at the tender age of 18. However, things quickly went sour after issues with multiple managers, and the Brazilian was loaned to Real Madrid's B team in 2013. Another loan move to FC Porto followed before he was brought back as a backup by Rafa Benitez. Zinedine Zidane's appointment changed his career as Casemiro was instrumental in 2 UEFA Champions League wins and a La Liga title.

The heart of the matter

Real Madrid have tied down Casemiro to a contract until 2021, which ought to give Florentino Perez the upper hand in negotiations. However, the defensive midfielder's normally flawless style of play has seen a few errors creep in this season, which could see Los Blancos cash in.

Manchester United are willing to pay Casemiro a salary that could be in the range of that of Paul Pogba's eye-watering €290,000-a-week. The Brazilian is settled in Madrid though, but Jose Mourinho is hoping that a fresh challenge in the Premier League compared with the massive pay rise on offer may work in his favour.

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Author's Take:

Casemiro is arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world, and the Brazilian would improve any side that he joins. Manchester United's purchase of Nemanja Matic would probably make Casemiro's transfer a bit of overkill, but then again, Jose Mourinho loves his defensive midfielders. As for PSG, Casemiro's arrival would ensure that the Brazilian core within the club have much more of a reason to stay, while he would potentially form an impregnable midfield alongside Adrien Rabiot and Marco Verratti. Casemiro's best option perhaps is a move abroad, as he has already achieved everything possible with Real Madrid.