Man United’s Marc Casado Chase Faces Milan and Saudi Rivals

Manchester United are counting on their ties to super-agent Jorge Mendes to land Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, a 22-year-old who managed just 24 appearances and 981 minutes in La Liga this season. Barcelona will reportedly listen to bids in the region of €20 million (roughly $22 million), a fee that would be recorded as pure profit given his academy background.

Casado himself is in no hurry to force anything. In interviews over the past few days he has said he would rather fight for a starting shirt than push for an exit, which complicates a move United’s own camp had treated as close to a formality.

A Mendes Connection Barcelona Can’t Ignore

The interest is real. Mundo Deportivo has reported that Manchester United are tracking the defensive midfielder and that the club have very close ties with his agent, Jorge Mendes, with Atletico Madrid and clubs from Saudi Arabia also keen on the player.

The numbers explain why Barcelona are willing to talk. Casado has dropped to fifth in the pecking order following the returns of Gavi and Marc Bernal from injury, behind the untouchable pairing of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. His last league outing came on May 23 against Valencia, when he played just seven minutes of a 3-1 defeat. Across all competitions he still logged more than 1,300 minutes, evidence of a squad player rather than a fringe figure.

He remains a decorated one regardless. Barcelona’s own club profile credits him with 85 matches played, one goal, two league titles, two Spanish Super Cups and a Copa del Rey since breaking into the first team as a La Masia graduate. That is the profile Manchester United, still needing a specialist number six, believe Mendes can help them buy at a discount.

Why Hasn’t Marc Casado Decided His Future?

Casado has told Spanish media he wants to stay and fight for his place, even as Barcelona’s midfield has grown more crowded and Mendes fields rival offers from Milan and Saudi Arabia. He has committed only to resolving everything once pre-season training opens.

That timeline matters. Barcelona would ideally like to finalise Casado’s future before the squad returns for pre-season training on 13 July, and the player has said the same thing from his own side.

My goal has always been to be in the Barça first team. As long as the club and the manager want me here, I will fight for playing time.

Casado told Spanish outlet Que T’hi Jugues, relayed by SPORT, days before this article was published. He went further in the same conversation, insisting “If I were at another club, it would be very different. I wouldn’t even think twice and I’d be looking for other opportunities,” before waving off the transfer noise around him.

Days earlier, in a separate interview, he had struck the same note. “Whatever it takes, I’ll give everything for the club. As long as the coach and the club want me, I’ll stay here,” he told Jijantes, adding that he plans to sit down with Barcelona once pre-season begins to settle things for good.

Not every signal points toward Barcelona, though. His stance on a Gulf move has softened too: he initially ruled out a switch to Saudi Arabia despite interest from several Saudi Pro League clubs, yet more recent reporting suggests that door is opening.

• The asking price: Barcelona will listen to offers around €20 million and would book any sale as pure profit.
• The workload: Casado has fallen to fifth choice in Flick’s midfield this season, with a last league cameo of seven minutes.
• The Milan angle: Mendes has offered his client to a club now coached by a former Manchester United manager, not steered him toward Old Trafford.

Set against that is what remains genuinely open. Casado remains undecided on Saudi Arabia; while he recognises the financial benefits, he is still weighing whether the move suits his sporting development. Whether Manchester United turn their monitoring into an actual bid is just as unresolved.

Carrick’s Midfield Hole Since Casemiro Left

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has a specific problem to solve. Casemiro leaves on a free transfer when his contract expires on June 30, and Manuel Ugarte could also be shown the exit door this summer, stripping the squad of its senior defensive cover in one window.

Some of that gap is already being filled. United have reportedly agreed a deal with Atalanta for Ederson, who could become the club’s first midfield signing of the summer, while West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is viewed as a leading target for a second addition. A third name, Casado, would come if Ugarte’s exit is confirmed.

Not every midfield chase is going United’s way this summer. Nottingham Forest’s rejection of Manchester City’s reported £120 million offer for Elliot Anderson has effectively taken that target off United’s board, since City’s continued interest makes a rival move unworkable. Carrick’s rebuild stretches beyond midfield too, with a reported offer for centre back Romero already testing how far his defensive planning will go this window.

Mendes Has Already Delivered Ronaldo, Ugarte and Yoro

The Mendes relationship is not new. It is the same channel United used for some of their highest-profile business of the past several years.

• Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United, arranged with Mendes as his representative
• Manuel Ugarte’s 2024 arrival, another deal in which Mendes was central
• Leny Yoro’s move the same summer, also brokered through the same agency
• Ongoing talks for West Ham’s Fernandes, whom Mendes also represents

That track record is the entire case for United’s optimism. It is also, this summer, the reason the advantage cuts both ways: the same agent has other clients and other clubs asking for favours.

Milan and Riyadh Are Also Calling

Casado’s camp has not treated Manchester United as the obvious landing spot. Mendes has offered his client’s services to AC Milan, who are hunting an out-and-out midfielder this summer, and the Rossoneri are now coached by former United boss Ruben Amorim, who is expected to strengthen his midfield as Youssouf Fofana looks set to leave.

Atletico Madrid, once seen as the frontrunner, have stepped back. According to SPORT, Atletico have moved away from the possibility of signing the Barcelona midfielder after their earlier enthusiasm cooled in recent weeks. Real Betis have also been floated as a destination to replace Sergi Altimira, who is departing for Sporting Lisbon.

Then there is the money nobody in England or Italy can match. Barcelona’s sporting department believes the midfielder could generate around €30 million through fixed and performance-related payments if the move to Saudi Arabia materialises, a package that dwarfs anything currently on the table from Old Trafford.

Casado’s Price Keeps Sliding While He Waits

Even a diminished season has not erased what made Casado a target in the first place. Barcelona’s own numbers show a player who still posted a passing accuracy above 85 percent across his Champions League appearances this season, the kind of ball-retention data that first drew 24 La Liga appearances and 981 minutes of trust from Hansi Flick before the squad around him got deeper.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has never publicly pushed Casado out the door, and the player has said as much himself. What has changed is patience. A midfielder who once rejected approaches now has his agent fielding four or five of them at once, from three different continents, while Manchester United wait to see whether their agent relationship converts into anything more than a phone call.

Pre-season for Barcelona begins on 13 July. Casado has said that is when he will finally sit down with the club, Flick and Mendes to decide where he plays next season.