Erik ten Hag will be frustrated with the lack of progress his Manchester United side has made this season, with the 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest being the latest setback.
United are eighth in the Premier League after 20 games, losing the same number of games this season as they did last campaign.
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Therefore, the boss will look to solidify his squad by signing an experienced midfielder in the January transfer window.
Man Utd transfers latest – Joshua Kimmich
As per reports in Spain last month by AS, Manchester United are set to join Liverpool and Man City in the hunt for Joshua Kimmich, a player described as an "all-rounder,” by OptaFranz.
The Mirror states that there is some unrest between Bayern Munich and the midfielder, and according to CIES Football Observatory, Kimmich is valued at £35m.
However, due to the financial fair play guidelines that Man United must stay within, a move this January seems unlikely.
How Joshua Kimmich compares to Casemiro
Casemiro’s United career started off brilliantly, with his inclusion in the starting XI making a noticeable positive difference. However, this season, he looks off the pace, sluggish in and out of possession, and prevents United from gaining control of matches.
The Brazilian is now back training with the side after missing 17 matches with a knock, but whether he walks back into the side is unknown.
Ten Hag has witnessed the quality of Kimmich firsthand this season as he starred in both of Bayern’s Champions League victories over United, which is potentially why the Red Devils have entered the race for his signature. The midfielder has played 20 games for his club this season, scoring once and creating six goals.
Nonetheless, let’s look at how Kimmich compares to Casemiro and how he could be an upgrade based on stats from their respective leagues this season.
Passes completed
84.85
49.72
Touches
105.98
74.03
Progressive passes
10.51
7.64
Key passes
3.15
0.97
Shot-creating actions
5.78
1.94
Tackles
2.31
2.92
Dribblers tackled
1.26
1.67
As you can see, the German is an extremely technical player who dictates the tempo of a game using his vast passing range. Whether it is a long pass that switches the play or a simple flick around the corner, the ball will almost always reach its intended target due to Kimmich’s accuracy.
United misses a player who can control a game, retain the ball even if pressed, and progress the play with ease. Unfortunately, Casemiro cannot provide that.
The main difference between the experienced pairing is that the Brazilian is more of a destroyer who loves to break up play and win the ball back, whereas the former is a deep-lying playmaker who will also help with the lack of goals and chance creation within the United side.
Furthermore, Casemiro has an erratic side to his game that can sometimes cause panic among the Red Devils. Kimmich would eliminate this and bring calmness due to his intelligence, leadership qualities, and experience operating a midfield on his own at times.
Notably described as a "liability" out of possession by United content creator Casey Evans, it's clear United need a reliable, consistent midfielder who will always provide an 8/10 performance. Despite the fee being large, Kimmich would transform Ten Hag’s midfield, and he would allow the boss to deploy the approach that brought him success at Ajax.