Manchester United faces a challenging task in replacing Casemiro, but former player Michael Owen believes that Mateus Fernandes could be their best solution. Owen expressed his admiration for Fernandes, who has garnered attention after a standout season with West Ham United.

The 21-year-old Portugal international has drawn interest from both Manchester United and Arsenal, with recent reports from the Times indicating that United leads the pursuit for the £80 million-rated player. Sky Sports has also reported that Manchester United is preparing to make their opening offer for Fernandes.

Owen emphasized the difficulty of filling Casemiro's shoes, stating:
“Casemiro’s shoes are big shoes to fill aren’t they? Lots of people were writing them off, but he had an incredible last two-thirds of the season.”
He suggested that if he were in the position of Michael Carrick, he would prioritize acquiring Fernandes, noting, “I think he’s very good. I think he’s exactly what they need.”

While Owen acknowledged the competition from players like Elliot Anderson from Manchester City, Baleba at Brighton, and Scott at Bournemouth, he reiterated his belief in Fernandes as the ideal choice.

Despite being young, Fernandes is expected to complement the experienced Ederson at Manchester United should the transfer materialize.