Manchester United’s 2024/25 season got underway with a defeat against bitter cross-city rivals Manchester City last weekend. The Red Devils suffered penalty heartbreak against their bitter rivals in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes. A goal from Alejandro Garnacho was cancelled out by Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser before the Cityzens won on penalties.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Erik ten Hag will be hoping that his United side can be much improved this term and finish higher than last season’s eighth in the Premier League. It was a torrid time for the Red Devils despite victory in the FA Cup, a title which snuck them into the Europa League for the 2024/25 campaign.
Manchester United’s Mason Mount lifting the FA Cup
Indeed, Ten Hag’s side finished on 60 points last term, although according to Understat’s expected points metric, they massively overachieved. As per the metric, the Old Trafford club should have finished 14th, with just 44.42xPTS. However, it did not turn out that way, and they scraped into Europe and an eighth-place finish.
United have already turned to the transfer market this summer to help bolster their chances of a better campaign, and have made four signings. However, they might not be done yet, and have been recently linked with one man who could bolster the squad in midfield.
Man Utd target Championship midfielder
The player in question here is Burnley midfielder Sander Berge. The 26-year-old former Sheffield United player has been linked with a move away from the Clarets since their relegation last season and was not involved in their game against Luton Town on Monday.
As reported earlier this week by The Athletic, the Red Devils are still interested in acquiring the services of Berge this window. As per the report ‘talks continue’ between the club and Berge’s entourage, and he is one of the midfielders on their list of targets this summer.
Sander Berge for Burnley
In terms of a price, The Athletic reported that the Norweigan is valued above £20m by the Clarets. However, other reports suggest that figure is as high as £30m if United want to sign Berge this summer.
That is certainly cheaper than another of United’s midfield targets, Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils have chased the Paris Saint-Germain star all summer, but are somewhat put off by the price tag worth upwards of £59m slapped on the Uruguayan by the French giants.
Why Berge would be a good signing
The 26-year-old was a key man for Vincent Kompany’s Burnley side last season, and often looked “a class above” the rest of his teammates, as Sky Sports presenter Dougie Cricthley has previously described him.
sander-berge-burnley
Last campaign for the Clarets, he played 37 out of their 38 Premier League games, missing only one game in January. For the most part, he completed 90 minutes, playing 3006 minutes in total, and managed to chip in with one goal and two assists.
Should United sign the Norway international this summer, he could prove to be a dream upgrade on Casemiro. The experienced Brazilian struggled for form last term, with Jamie Carragher suggesting “he needs to call it a day at this level and move” over the summer.
casemiro-manchester-united-premier-league
A transfer for the veteran has not yet materialised, but if United were to replace Casemiro with Berge, it would be a smart move. The former Sheffield United midfielder is similar to the current United man in terms of being a strong ball-winner, but he is also much fitter and able to cover ground more easily.
In fact, that is represented in their FBref stats, too. The pair are very similar, and per 90 minutes average the same amount of ball recoveries per game, with 6.05 each. Berge also has a higher success rate when it comes to dribblers tackled, with 58.6% compared to the Brazilian’s 48.1%. That shows great maturity in the Burnley man’s game and the fact he does not just lunge into tackles randomly.
Berge vs. Casemiro defensive stats 2023/24
Stat (per 90)
Berge
Casemiro
% of dribblers tackled
58.6%
48.1%
Ball recoveries
6.05
6.05
Aerial duels won
1.92
1.91
Interceptions
0.69
0.82
Stats from FBref
Should the Red Devils decide to push forward with a move for the 26-year-old, Berge could be an excellent replacement for Casemiro as they look to potentially phase out the former Madridista, or simply manage his game time better.
sander-berge
For just £30m, this seems like a smart, bargain alternative to the more costly Ugarte, that will allow them to save money and invest it elsewhere in the squad, whilst also adding quality and depth in the centre of the park.
Ugarte – who is believed to be pushing for a move to Manchester – is the main talking point at present, but overlooking Berge could represent a mistake for United.
