Jose Mourinho told Erik Ten Hag that ‘Casemiro is ideal Manchester United signing’

When the Reds were interested in signing Casemiro from Real Madrid, former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said that he would develop into the "greatest central midfielder in the world."

The Manchester Evening News said that before the transfer window ends in just over a week, United has approached Madrid about the possibilities of signing the Brazilian midfielder. The Reds are in serious need of adding to their midfield options after their attempt to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus fell through.

Although it has been more than three months since United initially expressed interest in the Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, they are still actively seeking him out. The club is not yet sure if Casemiro would be open to the idea of a move, but have contacted Madrid to try and gauge an understanding.

The Brazilian remains a key part of manager Carlo Ancelotti’s plans in the Spanish capital and helped them win the UEFA Super Cup as recently as last week. He also played a key role in helping them win the Champions League and La Liga title last term.

He is widely considered to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the business and has gone from strength to strength since joining Madrid on a permanent deal from Sao Paulo back in 2013. He had spent the season prior on loan with Madrid’s youth team, Madrid Castilla, before being snapped up for just €6million.

He was awarded his Madrid debut by Mourinho, who departed a few months later by mutual consent. Although they did not spend much time working with each other, the Brazilian caught Mourinho’s eye, resulting in some glowing praise.

“[He told me] ‘I know you, you are good, and you are going to be the best central midfielder in the world’,” Casemiro told Cope, speaking back in 2018. “He gave me this confidence, I left the dressing room believing that I was Cristiano Ronaldo.

“With the energy that he gave me, I was left believing that he was the best in the world. The confidence and energy that he gave me was incredible.”

Casemiro, who spent the 2014/15 campaign on loan at Portuguese side Porto, has become a serial winner since joining Madrid, helping them win 18 major trophies, including five Champions League crowns. He has a winning mentality and would be an immediate upgrade on United’s current midfield options.

He has made 336 appearances for the club, scoring 31 goals and grabbing 29 assists. His latest assist came in the Super Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt last Wednesday night, as Madrid recorded a 2-0 win.