Manchester United have reportedly turned their attention to Real Madrid's Casemiro in their search for midfield reinforcements.
Erik ten Hag is determined to bolster his side's options in the engine room before the summer window shuts, but Frenkie de Jong is remaining defiantly in his position at Barcelona.
The former Ajax protege is still owed as much as £15.2m in deferred wages by the Catalan giants, and the Red Devils' initial £72m agreement with the Blaugrana has now reportedly expired.
The Red Devils are said to have identified Juventus lynchpin Adrien Rabiot as an alternative option, although fans did not take kindly to news of a possible £20m swoop for the Frenchman.
However, the 20-time English champions could not successfully negotiate personal terms with Rabiot and his mother, meaning that a move has now collapsed.
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According to Marca, Real Madrid regular Casemiro is now the latest name to have been added to Man United's midfield shortlist, in what has been described as an 'emergency solution'.
The 30-year-old has been a permanent fixture of the Blancos midfield for a number of years after initially arriving from Sao Paulo in 2013, and he was loaned to Porto for the 2014-15 season.
Casemiro has since registered 31 goals and 29 assists in 336 matches for the capital side from the middle of the park, including one goal and four assists from 48 games last term.
The Brazil international still has three years left to run on his contract at the Bernabeu, where he has won five Champions League titles, three La Liga crowns, three Club World Cups, one Copa del Rey, three UEFA Super Cups and three Supercopa de Espana honours.
A separate update from journalist Lucas Navarrete has shot down hopes of a deal for Casemiro, though, as it is claimed that Real Madrid have no intention of parting ways with the ex-Sao Paulo youngster.
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Man United would supposedly need to submit a bid that Real Madrid would find "impossible to reject", and as things stand the Red Devils are yet to approach Carlo Ancelotti's side with a formal bid.
Casemiro played the full 90 for Los Blancos in their UEFA Super Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this month, but he was named on the bench for the weekend's opening 2-1 win over Almeria in La Liga.
Ancelotti has both Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni hoping to force their way into the Real midfield this term, but Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are expected to continue their triumvirate for the time being.
Man United have already signed Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez in the current window, with the latter also capable of featuring in the holding midfield role.
Ten Hag has so far utilised Martinez as a centre-back, but the Argentina international has found it difficult to adapt to the Premier League and struggled in defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford.
The 24-year-old was allegedly courted by both Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but both managers are said to have had reservations over a move due to his 5ft 9in frame.
Ben Knapton
