Roma Linked to Decorated Manchester United Midfielder

Claudio Ranieri has leaned heavily on Leandro Paredes, but Roma aren’t yet certain he’ll stay, both in January and especially next summer, and have earmarked Casemiro should they need a new man at the position, Il Messaggero reports.

The Argentine has turned down an offer from Santos because he wishes to go back to his home country. Boca Juniors are confident he’ll return eventually, but the timing is uncertain. They might lodge their proposal in the coming days too.

Roma have shown a level of interest in Casemiro to substitute for Paredes, but the deal is complex due to his large wages. He makes €11.5M annually, thus €5.8M in the second half of the season. Manchester United would have to contribute heavily for the idea to become a real possibility.

The veteran has been offered to a few sides by his entourage and would be open to moving to Serie A. He has been an unused sub in the last six matches after being a staple of the XI earlier in the season. He has racked up 105 appearances, tallying 15 goals and 9 assists since heading to Old Trafford after a long spell at Real Madrid. A few Saudi sides are keen too. He has lifted the Champions League five times with Los Galacticos.

Our Take on Roma, Paredes, and Casemiro

The short-term contract is the main factor, but it’d be a surprise if the former left since Ranieri has been holding him in high regard. They’d eventually need a high-profile replacement, but it’d be stunning if they found a way to land the Red Devils outcast.