Manchester United ‘made £113m transfer offer’ with deal negotiated alongside Casemiro

Manchester United bid a huge £113million for Joao Felix at the same time that they were pursuing a deal for Casemiro, according to reports. The Portugal international was being eyed by Erik ten Hag amid uncertainty over Cristiano Ronaldo’s future. However, both players ended up staying at their respective clubs – though that hasn’t stopped them from being the subject of speculation.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, United tried to sign Felix when they were working on a deal to sign Casemiro from Real Madrid.

The Red Devils were successful in that regard, managing to land the Brazil international for a huge fee of £70million – while also giving him wages close to £300,000-a-week.

But they also wanted Felix, too.

United knew they needed an attacker to fill the void left behind in the event of any Ronaldo departure, with the 37-year-old wanting to go at the time.

He felt he’d earned the right to play for a team in the Champions League, having scored 24 goals across all competitions.

But while United bid for Felix, Atletico turned down the Red Devils’ approach for the 22-year-old – who has since endured a difficult start to the season.

Felix is yet to score from eight La Liga games, while he’s also not netted in the Champions League either.

Atletico are being patient with the former Benfica star, who they landed back in the summer transfer window of 2019.

But with the striker struggling under the watch of Diego Simeone, it’s possible United will pursue his signature in the future.

Had the Red Devils recruited Felix, he’d have become the latest Portuguese player to feature for the club.

Ronaldo was the first when he moved to United from Sporting Lisbon way back in 2003, with Sir Alex Ferguson in charge at the time.

Nani followed four years later, with the forward going on to win four Premier League titles during his glittering spell at the club.

Bebe was another Ferguson signing, with the Scot later confessing he hadn’t seen the Rayo Vallecano star play prior to his arrival.

And Joel Pereira, Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes have all moved to United in the time since, with the trio enduring mixed spells at the club.

Speaking earlier in the year, meanwhile, talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham called on Felix to leave Atletico.

And he also launched a blistering attack on Simeone, saying: “I’m going to call it as I see it: this Atletico Madrid side are an absolute disgrace.

“I’ll call them horrible, cheaty, anti-football, no desire to entertain. Simeone is a ref pest.

“The players are sneaky, out-housing, Sunday League wrong ‘uns.

“Atletico Madrid have no desire to play football whatsoever. If I were Joao Felix, I would ask for a transfer so I could continue being a professional footballer.

“Why anybody would want Simeone as their manager, I do not know.”

United are next in action against Newcastle on Sunday.

And they’ll be hoping to make it four wins in a row when they step out onto the pitch at Old Trafford (2pm).

United have beaten Omonia twice, as well as Everton, since their recent 6-3 defeat to fierce rivals Manchester City.