Casemiro to Manchester United - one of the most important signings of the summer. Of course, it wasn’t the easiest start for him as he adjusted to a different style of football from La Liga, a different kind of system from Carlo Ancelotti, and a generally different training setup from what he was used to at Real Madrid.
We’re seeing the best of him now, and there’s no doubt he’s a top player. It was not an easy signing - Manchester United had been interested in him for a long time but Real Madrid considered him absolutely untouchable. Remember, he’s a club legend, he’s won the Champions League with them five times, he formed an amazing midfield with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and he’ll always be highly thought of there.
United wanted Frenkie de Jong for a long time, but it proved impossible to persuade him to join. After that, it was clear they needed to look at a different player. Adrien Rabiot was one of the players they wanted, but there were many options - Leandro Paredes, Weston McKennie. Finally, the United board decided to do something different, and they thought Casemiro was perfect to bring something different to the team.
It was complicated to get done, but United chiefs travelled to Madrid to negotiate a deal. They pushed with both the player and the club, and eventually he was won over by the project of Erik ten Hag. He also saw this also as the last big opportunity of his career to play in the Premier League. Casemiro then had a direct discussion with Ancelotti, and the manager tried to persuade him to stay, but they accepted Casemiro’s decision. Real Madrid then reached an agreement quite quickly with Manchester United, for €60m plus €10m in add-ons.
It’s worth noting that Real Madrid already had a good replacement signed in Aurelien Tchouameni, though it was not originally the club’s plan to replace Casemiro, rather to bring Tchouameni in to play alongside Casemiro. Still, in the end I think all parties got a good deal. It wasn’t easy, but in a few days or even hours, things can change. What a player, Casemiro, and what a signing for Manchester United.
💬 Was Casemiro the right midfield signing for Manchester United? And was the player right to accept a move, or should he have stayed at Real Madrid? Let me know in the comments!
🚨 The inside story of how Man Utd pulled off one of the most important signings of the summer