Manchester United's new transfer masterplan has direct impact on Casemiro's future

Since taking up the role of director of football at Manchester United , Dan Ashworth has been a busy man.

The former English Football Association (FA) and Brighton executive, who spent nearly four months on gardening leave from Premier League side Newcastle, officially started his tenure at Old Trafford on July 1. Since then, he's brought in two promising young talents, Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, while overseeing several departures.

United's transfer activity doesn't seem to be slowing down either. On Thursday, terms were agreed with Paris Saint-Germain's defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte. The Uruguayan, who had an impressive stint with Sporting CP in the Champions League two seasons ago, has found it difficult to make his mark in France.

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While Ugarte's struggles in Paris might raise some eyebrows, it would be premature to write off the 23-year-old after just one disappointing season. If a reasonable fee can be negotiated with PSG, this could be a gamble worth taking.

Last season, United's defensive midfield was a major issue, with age and injuries seemingly catching up with Casemiro. The Brazilian has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with Ugarte potentially stepping into his shoes.

Ashworth's actions in Manchester clearly indicate his vision for United. The 53-year-old has already outlined the importance of youth development, a nod to the club's traditions and the squad he is assembling.

"Of all the things I've learnt as a technical director, the big one is that it's about giving young people a chance," he said in December 2020. "That might be a young coach, it might be a young player, or it might be a young physio - but you don't actually quite know what they can do until you give them an opportunity.

"There is a temptation in the Premier League not to do that just because we can afford not to, whereas young players and young people get their chance in adversity."

Jason Wilcox, now a key figure at United tasked with youth development, has a track record of success, identifying talents such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer during his Manchester City days. While it might be some time before we see the full impact of the work by Ashworth and Wilcox, the reshaping process at Old Trafford is looking encouraging so far.

Liverpool.com says: The prospect of sourcing a younger alternative for Casemiro's role in defensive midfield appears increasingly likely. It's about time United moved on from its scattergun transfer approach of signing established superstars on huge contracts. It would be wise for Liverpool's big rival to target promising young players, like Ugarte .