Manchester United midfielder Casemiro is thought to be helping the Red Devils to try and strike a deal with Paris Saint-Germain for superstar forward Neymar this summer.
The former Barcelona man is giving serious thought to the idea of leaving the French capital this summer, six years after his stunning £189million switch from the Camp Nou. Neymar's PSG contract does not actually expire until 2027, but with Kylian Mbappe now the star of the show at the Parc des Princes, the French giants are unlikely to stand in the 31-year-old's way should he wish to leave.
As a result, a number of clubs are keeping tabs on Neymar's situation and potentially plotting a summer swoop for the iconic Brazilian. United are thought to be just one of them, though they are not leading the pack at this stage, as per ESPN.
The Red Devils may boast an advantage up their sleeve given they have Casemiro within their ranks. The midfielder knows Neymar well from their years of experience together for the Brazil national team and is rumoured to have been trying to persuade the PSG ace to test himself in the Premier League.
According to L'Equipe, United are not the only side from the English top flight that have expressed an interest in Neymar, but Casmemiro's influence could help Erik ten Hag's side broker any deal. The 31-year-old clearly has no objection to teaming up with his Brazil colleague at club level amid claims he is helping United try to land the superstar's signature.
There is rumoured to be a growing belief among those at the top of the United hierarchy that Neymar is the kind of heavyweight transfer that would help the club close the gap between themselves and local rivals Manchester City.
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As things stand, City are on course to match United's historic treble-winning achievement of 1999. United need some sort of statement of intent to let rivals know they are aiming for the title next term.
There's every chance Neymar has already played his last game for the Ligue 1 titans, with the forward ruled out of action until the end of the season after sustaining an ankle injury in mid-February.
Having been assessed by PSG's medical team, it was deemed that surgery was essential as Neymar's initial scans showed ligament damage along with the ankle sprain.
The Brazilian went under the knife in March and has not starred for the club since. It is unclear whether his fitness record would be a concern for those keen on the transfer at Old Trafford.
It has been claimed that as a result of the surgery, Neymar feels fitter than ever and that he still has many years to offer at the highest level and in turn, could be tempted by a move to Manchester.
