Although winning the FA Cup would certainly be the cherry on top for Manchester United, the Red Devils have already had a remarkable season even without a victory at Wembley. In his first season as manager, Erik ten Hag led the team to a third-place finish and Carabao Cup victory.

With early-season losses to teams like Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion, supporters may not have believed that such a successful year was feasible. That latter team’s 4-0 hammering undoubtedly had them dreading the worst.

The later £70 million acquisition of Brazilian maestro Casemiro from Real Madrid, who reportedly expressed his desire to “fix” United’s problems after seeing the defeat to the Bees, was a significant contributor to the turn around in fortunes from that gloomy day in west London.

Ten Hag, a former Ajax manager, said that the 31-year-old had become a “massive player” for the team and earlier in the season praised his star summer acquisition as the “cement” in the team. It appears that the player has since accomplished more than that.

The midfielder’s exceptional play has raised concerns about the drop in standards or quality when he has been suspended or rested this season, according to club legend Gary Neville, who also noted that if the £350,000-per-week titan is available for selection, there will be a “enormous jump in Manchester United’s quality of performance.”

It is understandable that Ten Hag would be looking to bring in a “younger” midfielder ahead of the upcoming season in order to add depth and longevity since his roster lacks a suitable replacement for the five-time Champions League champion.

The Old Trafford team may have already found their ideal prospect in Tyler Adams of Leeds United in the midst of the necessity to locate a suitable replacement for Casemiro.

Does Tyler Adams belong at Man United?

The United States international is wanted by the Red Devils, according to Football Insider, and a transfer fee of over £35 million has been proposed in light of the Whites’ recent promotion to the Championship.

According to 90min, the former RB Leipzig player, who only relocated to Yorkshire on a £20 million deal last summer, is almost set to leave ahead of the 2019–2020 season as a result of the club’s relegation to the second division, with United reportedly among those interested in snatching him up.

Adams did miss the final 12 games of the season due to injury, but before that the former Red Bull Salzburg star had been a gigantic presence at Leeds’ base of the midfield and was dubbed a “tackling machine” by analyst Kevin Campbell.

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In spite of the American’s protracted absence, the £55k per week warrior nevertheless finished the season with the joint-fourth most tackles in the division (89), matching Casemiro’s total. This was due to his ability to win the ball.

The similarities between the two players are also highlighted by the fact that Adams had a strikingly similar record to the current Old Trafford star, who averaged 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game from his 24 league games.

The Leeds “monster,” as commentator Alexi Lalas referred to him, averaged one vital pass per game as a sign of his creative flair, while Casemiro did the same. This suggests that the pair can also have an influence offensively.

Of course, Ten Hag won’t be thinking about replacing the latter man any time soon, but it would be shrewd to get some great competition and backup in the form of Adams, his heir apparent.