Manchester United head to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon without Casemiro, a significant absence for a player who has been central to United’s structure this season. Villa have already beaten Arsenal and Manchester City at home, so the challenge facing Ruben Amorim’s side is intensified by the Brazilian midfielder’s unavailability.

Casemiro, the 33-year-old, will not make the journey to Villa Park because he is serving a one-match suspension after accumulating five yellow cards in the Premier League. His latest booking was shown in the 4–4 draw with Bournemouth last Monday. This will be only the second match he has missed for United this season; he was also absent for the 3–1 defeat at Brentford in September following a red card picked up against Chelsea.

Casemiro has started all but three games this season, and those matches without him have produced defeats for Amorim’s side. The sequence includes the shock second-round humiliation at Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup and top-flight losses at Manchester City and Brentford. United will be desperate to avoid a fourth successive away loss when playing without him.

When Amorim has omitted Casemiro this season Manuel Ugarte has been the replacement used. The Uruguayan has not impressed in his rare opportunities, and question marks remain over his long-term future at Old Trafford. With Villa’s midfield featuring Youri Tielemans, Amadou Onana and Boubacar Kamara, the manager must make the right call. Kobbie Mainoo is presented in the squad as the only other viable alternative to Casemiro and Ugarte.

Selection in central midfield will be pivotal to how United approach a stern away test against a Villa side proven to be dangerous at home. The absence of Casemiro forces tactical choices that could shape the immediate course of United’s campaign.

Ruben Amorim has confirmed Manchester United will be active in the January transfer window but is determined to avoid short-term, stopgap additions.

Amorim acknowledged the immediate strain caused by the departures of Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui to the Africa Cup of Nations, but repeated that any incoming players must fit the club’s long-term plan rather than simply cover temporary absences.

“We’ll see,” Amorim said. “The only thing that we know is that we will only try to bring players that we think are going to be for the future. It’s not going to be to save something at this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for AFCON.

“It’s not going to be like that. We will try to bring now—and at the end of the season—players that are perfect for our future.

“So I don’t know what is going to happen, but it’s possible that we can do something. Even if we try to bring one player, maybe it’s not the position that is [the one] that we need [even] more.”

One primary name linked to United this winter is Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo. His contract reportedly contains a release clause worth £65 million ($87 million) that is active only during the first two weeks of the window, with some reports claiming it may expire as early as Jan. 10. United are expected to move early for Semenyo but will face competition from Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, all said to be interested in the Ghana international.

A new central midfielder remains a stated priority. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba was judged too expensive in the summer, while interest in Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is expected to meet similar financial obstacles. Al Hilal’s Rúben Neves has been noted as a potential cut-price option, and interest in Conor Gallagher of Atlético Madrid continues.

Amorim has also publicly requested a wing back, though that reinforcement may be deferred until the summer transfer window.

Manchester United are preparing an early push to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo when the January transfer window opens. Central to United’s strategy is a release clause in Semenyo’s contract that would make the Ghana international available for £65 million ($87 million). Reports indicate that this clause is only active for the first two weeks of January, creating a narrow window for any suitor.

United’s plan, according to The Telegraph, is to move quickly once the market reopens. Competition is intense: Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all understood to be in the mix for the 25-year-old.

Part of Manchester United’s reasoning is the perceived uncertainty around Manchester City’s ability to offer Semenyo a clear long-term project. Pep Guardiola is described as a huge fan of Semenyo but has been tipped to step down at the end of the season. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, previously an assistant to Guardiola at City, has been touted as a replacement.

That managerial uncertainty could weaken City’s hand. Without confirmation of a settled long-term vision for the player, City’s potential offer may lack the assurances Semenyo and his camp seek. United and other suitors are looking to exploit that hesitancy by trying to strike a deal in the coming weeks.

United have targeted Semenyo before. They submitted a summer bid of £50 million that was rejected by the Cherries, and they were unwilling to meet Bournemouth’s £80 million asking price at that time. With Bournemouth reportedly agreeing to a lower exit price for the first half of the January window, United believe this is an opportunity to revisit the move and finally secure a long-time target.

The situation presents a clear deadline for interested clubs: act early in January or risk losing the chance to trigger the clause and compete for Semenyo’s signature.