It sums up just how much of a mess Manchester United are in that, by their own failure in the transfer market, they have actually stumbled upon a player they needed all along.
Had the club and Erik ten Hag got their way, Frenkie de Jong would have been the big money midfield signing this summer. Instead, it is El Clasico rival Casemiro who will soon be swapping Spain for Stretford.
Ten Hag acknowledged United's lack of a defensive midfielder when he took over the club, but believed the best way to compensate for their soft spine would be to make tactical changes rather than ones of personnel.
READ MORE: United's dream XI with two more signings after Casemiro
Instead of prioritising the addition of a midfield enforcer who could add steel to their stem, he wanted to add some silk, with De Jong viewed as a player who could bring composure and creativity, meaning they would be in control of matches far more often and therefore be less reliant on defending.
The addition of Casemiro does not address that lack of creativity, though the signing of Christian Eriksen does if he is deployed in a deeper midfield role. However, it is still unclear which midfield set-up the manager will favour, given a move for the Brazil international was reactionary rather than planned.
"This goes back to the need to look to the future," Rooney told The Times of the deal to sign Casemiro. "Ideally, they should be signing players in their early to mid-twenties, and Casemiro is similar to Christian Eriksen — someone who has been a good player, but are they going to help the club move forward? Frenkie de Jong, Ten Hag’s principal midfield target, would be a better fit.
"The Casemiro deal seems to have come from nowhere, and looks a reactive signing — I’d be surprised if he was a player identified as a priority to bring in when ten Hag arrived. It looks like, having been unable to sign de Jong, United just reacted to Casemiro being available."
United will no doubt insist that Casemiro is a player they have been tracking for years who will add immense quality and priceless experience to their squad, but there can be no denying the fact he was not a long-term target this summer.
It is credit to the 30-year-old that he might well turn out to be a worthy addition, but for the £60m fee paid, a club would typically hope to get a much younger player for that kind of money.
Real Madrid now have a midfield of 19-year-old Eduardo Camavinga and 22-year-old Aurelien Tchouameni, while recent reports have suggested they could look to use their recent windfall to sign Jude Bellingham this year or next.
The La Liga giants are a side with a long-term plan and, thanks to that, they now have a midfield duo that could dominate Europe for the next decade, while United's has a noticeably shorter shelf life.
Even after the addition of Casemiro, there is an argument to say United still need another new midfielder, and if it is not addressed before deadline day, it will be a problem until January at the earliest.
If they really were thinking with a long-term vision, then a deal for the Real Madrid star would have been pursued much earlier in the summer and they could have used the remaining time to focus on signing a much younger profile of player who could come in now and eventually work their way into the starting line-up over the coming years.
Instead of being proactive, United are being reactive once again.
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