Youssouf Fofana front runner to replace Casemiro' at Manchester United

Youssouf Fofana has made more than 150 Ligue 1 appearances

Fabrizio Romano has stated that Manchester United had looked at Youssouf Fofana, the star of Monaco, before signing Sofyan Amrabat in the summer.

There have been rumours that the Red Devils are still considering the 24-year-old as a potential Casemiro successor.

The Brazilian struggled with the Premier League's pace early in the season and eventually sustained an injury that appears to be keeping him out until next year, so he hasn't even come close to reaching the heights of his rookie season.

Because of this, there have been reports that United are searching for options in front of the January transfer window, and one player who frequently comes up in these speculations is Fofana.

The midfield player, who has a deal with Monaco through 2025, was strongly linked to a summer transfer to the Premier League, with Nottingham Forest and Liverpool reportedly keeping an eye on him.

He stayed with the Ligue 1 team, but according to transfer analyst Romano, United were also considering him before choosing to sign Amrabat from Fiorentina on loan.

According to Romano, Youssouf Fofana is currently gaining attention. It is worth noting that Manchester United looked at him as an alternative for Sofyan Amrabat, their primary target, during the summer.

Silvestre said: “Every club could have moved for Youssouf Fofana early in the summer. I know he was available as he has two years left on his contract.

“He could have been a potential midfielder for Man Utd then. He has a bit more physical presence than Fred had for instance, but the club decided to sign Amrabat instead of Fofana. We know it was a reaction to the early start of the season.

“Fofana is ticking a lot of boxes to play as a defensive midfielder for a Premier League team and Man United could definitely be his next move, for sure.”