United are reportedly set to pay the Spanish giants $60m upfront with another $10m for the midfielder’s services.
Neither Manchester United, Real Madrid nor representatives for Casemiro were immediately available for comment when contacted by CNN.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Ancelotti confirmed he had spoken with Casemiro, who had expressed his intention to leave the club.
“He wants a new challenge, the club understands,” Ancelotti told reporters ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga encounter against Celta Vigo.
“Casemiro, for everything he has done and for the person he is, we have to respect his wish. Negotiations are ongoing, there is nothing official, he remains our player, but his wish is to leave.”
The Brazil international has won three La Liga titles and five UEFA Champions Leagues since joining Real Madrid in 2013.
The 30-year-old, whose current deal runs until June 2025, has made 222 appearances for Los Blancos with 24 goals to his name.
The defensive midfielder would become Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag’s fourth addition this summer, with the club having already signed left-back Tyrell Malacia, midfielder Christian Eriksen and defender Lisandro Martínez.
United are currently bottom of the Premier League after enjoying a torrid start to the season with back-to-back defeats in their first two matches. Last Saturday United were beaten 4-0 at Brentford, after which Ten Hag said his side’s plan had been ‘trashed’.
“They (the players) make a bad decision, and that’s football. It’s a game of mistakes and we get punished,” ten Hag said afterwards.
“It’s naive how we played today. We have to play more direct. We attracted them, the space was high on the pitch… We will learn, we have to learn. But it’s not good , it’s pretty clear at this level.”
United host Liverpool at Old Trafford on Monday in a clash between two of the league’s fiercest rivals.
