Man Utd have made Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia their top target to succeed Casemiro at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Casemiro has had a brilliant season for the Red Devils since making the move from Real Madrid in the summer for £70m.

There was criticism of United’s decision to spend so much money on a 30-year-old when they could’ve bought someone young and with potential.

However, Casemiro has proven to be instrumental for Man Utd this season with Ten Hag leading the Red Devils to League Cup glory and the final of the FA Cup.

As well as more potential silverware in the FA Cup, Man Utd look set to qualify for the Champions League via the Premier League with Ten Hag’s men currently fourth.

Fifth-placed Tottenham are six points behind after coming from two goals down to draw against Man Utd on Thursday night – but the Red Devils have two games in hand on Spurs.

Casemiro has done so well that Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel reportedly wants to take him to the Allianz Arena in the summer transfer window.

German outlet Kicker claims that Tuchel is preparing for a ‘major upheaval’ at Bayern with Sadio Mane and Serge Gnabry likely to be on their way, while he is looking for a ‘defensively strong leader’ like Casemiro.

The former Chelsea boss is described as a ‘big fan’ of Casemiro and he ‘wants’ to sign the Brazilian as he brings something the Bayern squad currently ‘lacks’.

A departure from Old Trafford seems extremely unlikely for Casemiro with the club and the player seemingly happy with how things are going.

But The Independent insist that Man Utd boss Ten Hag ‘admires Southampton’s Romeo Lavia as a potential long-term successor to Casemiro’.

The only negative about Casemiro’s time at Man Utd so far is the two red cards he has picked up this season and Graeme Souness said last month that his reputation for playing “on the edge” could be “hard to shake”.

Souness said on Sky Sports: “Casemiro at Manchester United is not a dirty player, either, but he does have a record. Consider this: in his last three-and-a-half seasons for Manchester United and Real Madrid, he has been booked 53 times! That is astonishing.

“He has also been sent off three times, his latest red coming against Southampton last weekend.

“As I say, I don’t think he is a malicious player but over the course of his 10-year career he has averaged about 15 yellows a season and you don’t rack up numbers like those by accident.

“The upshot of his second red card for United in a short space of time is that when he returns from his four-game ban he will find referees looking out for him — and not in a good way.

“In football, a reputation as being someone who likes to play on the edge of the law can be hard to shake.”

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