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Manchester United may have the opportunity to sign the perfect midfielder to replace Casemiro at the end of the season. The Red Devils were already planning to strengthen in the engine room before it was announced that Casemiro would be departing in the summer. The five-time Champions League winner is set to wave goodbye to Old Trafford upon the expiry of his current contract.

It means United will need to prioritise midfield reinforcements to an even greater extent ahead of next season. A number of big-name players, including the likes of Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson, have already been linked with potential moves in the summer window. However, their eye-watering price tags could be a major sticking point when it comes to snapping them up.

Alternatively, the Red Devils could sign one of the Premier League's most underrated midfielders for a fraction of the amount he is truly worth.

Mateus Fernandes has been quietly excellent for West Ham this season in spite of their struggles near the bottom of the table. He has played in every single league game for the Hammers since joining them from Southampton in the summer.

An all-around midfielder, the 21-year-old has been one of the few bright sparks at the London Stadium in recent months and reportedly has a relegation release clause of around £20million.

This would allow United to secure his signature for a bargain fee, which could repay itself many times over if he continues to develop well at Old Trafford.

Fernandes showed his quality in West Ham's recent victory over Sunderland, producing a man-of-the-match display to inspire his team to victory.

He completed five tackles, more than any other player on the pitch, in addition to winning all seven of his ground duels in the middle of the park and registering four ball recoveries.

The former Southampton playmaker was equally impressive in possession, completing 89 per cent of his passes with 10 of those being in the final third.

He used his range of passing to move the Hammers forward and carve out chances for his team-mates, succeeding with eight of his nine attempted long balls.

More performances like that will go a long way to alerting other Premier League clubs to his availability, should West Ham go down at the end of the season.

Given that he will reportedly be available for just £20m in such a scenario, he would be the perfect signing for United to replace Casemiro without breaking the bank.

Fernandes also has plenty of potential at just 21, meaning the Red Devils could sell him for a significant profit further down the line.

They could then decide to channel the bulk of their budget into a move for either Baleba or Anderson, who are supposedly valued at upwards of £100m, giving them at least two midfielders of real quality heading into next season.