Casemiro: Manchester United’s Brazilian midfielder will leave the club this summer

While there was external uncertainty about whether the club would exercise the extra year option in Casemiro’s contract, there was none internally.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly and privately highlighted the staggering £375,000-a-week wages paid to the Brazilian as an example of the extravagance that preceded his arrival.

It was not possible for Ratcliffe to accept an extension while intending to cut costs and reduce the wage bill. Sources say the decision not to activate the option was made some time ago, long before Thursday’s announcement.

It is worth noting that Casemiro only came to United in 2022 because the club failed to land top choice Erik ten Hag for the central midfield role which he felt was necessary to strengthen.

United were without Frenkie de Jong and Declan Rice, and after starting the season with back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Brentford, where they lost 4-0 with Christian Eriksen and Fred in midfield, they completed a £70m deal with Real Madrid for Casemiro.

The reality is that the Brazilian would only have moved on if United had matched his wages and given him a four-year contract – and Ten Hag was adamant that they could not continue for the bulk of the season without someone of stature coming in.

This position was initially justified as Casemiro’s first season performed well as United finished third and reached the FA Cup Final. It was the second campaign when trouble came. Casemiro’s form has given him away and the cost of bringing him to the club is starting to look ridiculous.

Following a 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in May 2024, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher famously declared “Quit football before football leaves you” about the former Real Madrid man. At the end of that season, when he was left out of the starting line-up for Ten Hag’s FA Cup final, Casemiro opted out of Wembley – and it seemed his time at United was over.

But his salary was exorbitant and remained, eventually becoming an example to others of how a player can turn his situation around through hard work and commitment.