Image source: sports.yahoo.com
Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado is drawing January interest from Atletico Madrid, with Manchester United and Wolves also monitoring the 22-year-old, according to Mundo Deportivo. Casado has struggled for minutes under Hansi Flick this season and faces further competition with Gavi’s return from injury described as imminent. Atletico’s interest has been relayed via agent Jorge Mendes, though no offer has been submitted.
Manchester United and Wolves join Atletico chase for Barca’s Marc Casado
Marc Casado has found playing time hard to come by at Barcelona this season under Hansi Flick, despite breaking through in the previous campaign. The report said Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal and Eric Garcia are now ahead of him in the pecking order. With Gavi’s return from injury described as imminent, Casado’s prospects were portrayed as likely to worsen.
That backdrop has fuelled talk of a possible January exit, with Mundo Deportivo reporting that Atletico Madrid are not alone in tracking the 22-year-old midfielder. The report said Premier League sides Manchester United and Wolves have also entered the race for Casado as the winter window moves into its final stretch.
Atletico have been following Casado for some time, the report added, noting that former Barcelona director Mateu Alemany has taken over as the club’s transfer chief. While no formal offer has been made, both Barcelona and Casado are aware of Atletico’s interest through his agent, Jorge Mendes, according to the report.
Mundo Deportivo said Atletico are also considering other midfield options to replace Conor Gallagher, including Wolves’ Joao Gomes and Atalanta’s Ederson. Those two players would likely require a higher fee than Casado, the report said, helping explain Atletico’s focus on the Barcelona midfielder. The report added that Manchester United have enquired about Casado, while Wolves have continued to monitor him since last summer.
Casado’s initial preference has been to finish the season at Barcelona, but the report said that, if he leaves, his first idea was to prioritise a move abroad. It added that Diego Simeone wanted him last summer and that Casado previously opted to stay, though he now does not view an Atletico move unfavourably and is waiting to see how the situation develops. The report also said Flick has communicated significant confidence in Casado even as his on-pitch involvement has decreased.
