Manchester United have lined up a potential move for an assist king in midfield as they look to explore alternatives for PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Ugarte deal needs work
Erik ten Hag's side are on the hunt for additions in midfield this summer as they look to bolster their ranks following a disappointing 2023-24 Premier League season. There are concerns over the future of Casemiro after he was urged to leave the Premier League behind in the wake of a terrible performance against Crystal Palace last season.
“I think Casemiro should know tonight that he should only have another three games left at the top level. The next two league games and the cup final, then he should be thinking, I need to go to the MLS or Saudi", Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports after the 4-0 thrashing at Selhurst Park.
"This has to stop because we are watching one of the greats of the modern time. I always remember the saying 'leave the football before the football leaves you'. The football has left him. At this top level, he needs to call it a day at this level and move."
They are believed to have agreed personal terms over a deal for PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but they are no further over agreeing a deal with the French champions. Fabrizio Romano hinted that the Ligue 1 side could be "open to a loan" with an obligation to buy the Uruguayan at the end of the deal, though no progress has been made on that front.
Now, reports suggest Manchester United are eyeing an alternative option if a deal can't be struck.
Man Utd eyeing up Eredivisie playmaker
That comes courtesy of Caught Offside, who claim that United are keeping an eye on PSV Eindhoven star Joey Veerman, who faced current Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the final of EURO 2024.
Though the midfielder didn't have the best tournament with the Oranje, he enjoyed an excellent campaign with PSV, grabbing five goals and a mammoth 16 assists across the campaign as he proved a vital cog in a side that suffered just one domestic loss all season and romped to the Eredivisie title.
Ex-Tottenham and Netherlands midfielder Raphael Van de Vaart singled him out for high praise ahead of EURO 2024: "I think he is by far the best. He comes very, very close to the top players in the world. Veerman is simply a great player, but he also needs a bit of space. He often gets that, although that is also because of himself. He puts them down wherever he wants."
Veerman has just two years left to run on his current £13,000 a week deal in Eindhoven, and has been on the radar of Premier League rivals Liverpool as well.
His arrival would continue the theme of Manchester United signing current and former Dutch top flight stars, with Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Tyrell Malacia, Andre Onana and Joshua Zirkzee having previously plied their trade in the Netherlands. Though a different type of player to Ugarte, he would be a potentially elite level addition at a cut-price fee.
