Manchester United’s new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly planning a shock move for Luton Town star Ross Barkley.
The Sun report the British billionaire is a huge admirer of the 30-year-old who played for his other club Nice.
Casemiro faces an uncertain future at Old Trafford after enduring a difficult 2023-24 season.
The Brazilian returned from injury earlier this month and has failed to make a huge impact for United.
The former Real Madrid star will likely be sold in the summer, and Ratcliffe wants to replace him with Barkley.
Barkley is a low-risk, low-reward option
Barkley started his career at Everton before landing a €17.5 million move to Chelsea in 2018.
The English midfielder failed with the Blues, scoring 12 goals in 100 senior appearances.
He was eventually shipped out to Ligue 1 club Nice, where he stayed for a year before returning to the Premier League with Luton last summer.
Barkley has been in good form for the Hatters this season, registering three goals and three assists in 24 appearances across all competitions.
He has averaged 2.3 shots, 2.79 expected goals and 1.9 key passes per game in the English top flight.
Barkley has also tallied 6.7 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles and 0.9 interceptions on average.
However, it is debatable whether Barkley would improve United – he’s a mid-table player at best.
If Luton are relegated, he would do well in the Championship. However, he is not the type of player United should be targeting.
