Sir Jim happy to cash in on Man Utd star that sums up misguided transfer plan

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to ruthlessly jettison £70m midfielder Casemiro once he invests in Manchester United.

The INEOS owner is closing in on a deal to purchase 25 per cent of the Old Trafford outfit from much-maligned current owners the Glazer family. Once Ratcliffe’s deal is rubber-stamped, he will take full control of the footballing operations at United, including transfers.

It appears that he has also made a decision over which members of the current squad to sell. And Brazilian midfielder Casemiro is already seeing his place at the club called into question.

According to talkSPORT, Saudi clubs are eyeing up the former Real Madrid midfielder and a sale could happen. It is suggested that Ratcliffe is ‘open’ to letting the 31-year-old leave Old Trafford just over a year after he was signed.

Casemiro arrived at Old Trafford last summer in a £70m move from Spanish giants Real Madrid. He impressed during his first campaign with the Red Devils by helping the side win the Carabao Cup, as well as to a place in the Premier League top four.

However, he has endured a nightmare second season with injuries blighting his contributions, while his discipline has also been called into question. Should Ratcliffe decide to cash-in, it would see him double down to his withering assessment of Casemiro.

The 71-year-old spoke out against his signing during a presentation given to him in March by United hierarchy. Ratcliffe claimed that the club have operated poorly in the transfer market recently, with the fact that they gave Casemiro a four-year deal worth £350k per week a prime example.

Casemiro is not the only one of United’s former signings to have received criticism. Ratcliffe was also not convinced by the £40m signing of the Brazilian’s compatriot Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Speaking in 2019, he said: "[Ineos] never wants to be the dumb money in town, never, never. They [United] are in quite a big pickle as a business.

“They haven't got the manager selection right [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer], haven't bought well. They have been the dumb money, which you see with players like Fred."

Away from transfers, Ratcliffe may have other things on his mind at Old Trafford. American billionaire investor Leon Cooperman secured a stake in the club ahead of Ratcliffe formally getting a deal over the line.

Cooperman, 80, has purchased one million shares in the Red Devils valued at around $16.8 million (£13.4m). The founder of New York-based Omega Advisors, he is reported to have a net worth of $2.6 billion (£2.08bn).