Manchester United have signed Brazilian midfielder Casemiro from Real Madrid in a £70m signing.
Casemiro has signed a four year contract till June 2026 with the option to extend for a further year at the club.
This completes United’s fourth summer signing after the arrivals of Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord, Lisandro Martinez from Ajax and Christian Eriksen on a free transfer.
Thus, United’s spending so far is at £141.4m with Malacia costing £14.7m, Martinez £56.7m and then the £70m fee for Casemiro.
What Casemiro said upon his arrival at the club
Casemiro said: “The opportunity to start a new challenge at Manchester United and in the Premier League is extremely exciting.
“I’m ending one beautiful journey in Madrid whilst starting another in Manchester as determined as ever to win football matches, win trophies and make our fans proud by bringing success to this great club.”
Casemiro’s career so far
Casemiro began his career playing for Sao Paulo in 2010. Whilst at the Brazilian side, the defensive midfielder was able to win the Copa Sudamericana in 2011/12. Furthermore, in 2011, Casemiro was an U20 South American Championship winner, and U20 World Cup Champion with Brazil.
A couple seasons later, Casemiro was loaned to Real Madrid’s B team in January of 2013. Whilst playing for Madrid’s reserves, Casemiro impressed so much so that he even started a game for Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid first team.
As a result, in June 2013, Madrid signed Casemiro permanently.
However, in the subsequent 2013/14 season, Casemiro struggled for games, gaining sporadic minutes. Despite this, United’s new signing picked up his first of five Champions League titles that season, and a Spanish cup.
In order for the Brazilian to develop and gain regular playing time, Casemiro was loaned out to Porto on a season long loan in July of 2014.
In the 2014/15 season, Casemiro made 41 appearances, including 28 in Liga Nos. These appearances came as a defensive midfielder, but the five time Champions League winner still managed to score four goals and assist three.
However, he did pick up 13 bookings in just 28 league games. An early sign of his willingness to put in a rough challenge.
After a successful season in Portugal, Porto wanted to sign Casemiro permanently for £13.2m. However, a clause in his contract allowed Madrid to buy him back for £7.5m as long as they stated their intentions before June 5th for £6.6m.
Thus, Madrid exercised this right and brought Casemiro back permanently.
In 2015/16, Casemiro became a regular starter. The Brazilian played significant minutes in each of their 13 Champions League games bar one. Likewise, in La Liga, the former Porto midfielder also picked up more minutes.
With his cementation into the team, this formed one of the greatest midfield trios in football.
Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
As a result, in this season, Casemiro went on to win the first of the three Champions League titles in a row Madrid won from 2016-18.
2016/17 got even better for the former Sao Paulo midfielder.
After losing the Spanish title to Barcelona by a point the season before, Madrid went one better and won La Liga finishing three points ahead of their rivals.
In addition, Casemiro won the UEFA super cup, the club world cup and another Champions League.
The Brazilian was pivotal in this, scoring two and assisting two in Madrid’s European success, including a goal in the final.
Despite failing to win the league in 2017/18, Casemiro won yet another Champions League title, another UEFA super cup, a Spanish super cup and another club world cup.
However, 2018/19 wasn’t as successful for the Brazilian.
Despite this, Casemiro still had success on the international stage, winning the Copa America with Brazil.
In 2019/20, the five time Champions League winner won another league title and a Spanish super cup.
In 2021/22, Casemiro didn’t win a trophy.
Then in his final season at Madrid, Casemiro secured his fifth Champions League, another league title, and a Spanish super cup.
Just before he left for United, Casemiro won his final trophy at the club, assisting in Madrid’s UEFA super cup triumph.
How Casemiro will revolutionise the United team
Since Nemanja Matic’s legs have started to grow increasingly wary, United have lacked a genuine ‘6’ who is seen to be that defensive midfielder who can sit in front of the back four, shielding it whilst making himself available to receive passes out from the back.
With neither Scott McTominay nor Fred a natural defensive midfielder, both have struggled to fit that role. The Scot and Brazilian don’t have great passing ranges, particularly under pressure, and this can significantly hinder United’s ability to progress the ball quickly as often the ball is given away under effective presses.
Thus, in big games against teams like Liverpool and Manchester City, United tend to be picked off easily due to their major weaknesses.
Furthermore, neither Fred, nor McTominay possess the ability to shield and cover the back four well, leaving the defence increasingly vulnerable to attacks.
Therefore, the signing of Casemiro will massively improve this team. This is because Casemiro possesses a quality passing range, combined with a world class defensive ability.
The Brazilian is an expert in breaking up the match, using his quality tackling and great ability to read the game. Subsequently, this enables the Brazilian to predict attacker’s movements helping him intercept and prevent attacks.
These defensive abilities combined, make him incredibly difficult to get past, and a fantastic asset for the club.
Then in transition and build up, Casemiro provides quality on the ball which United’s current midfielders don’t possess. His willingness to come and show for the ball will help the United defence progress the ball through midfield, enabling a much quicker transition into attack.
Furthermore, when in attack, Casemiro can play as a deep lying playmaker, receiving the ball further back, and finding the right passes to meet players in space.
Therefore, with his ability to show for the ball and move it on, combined with his quality passing range to free up the attackers, Casemiro will drastically improve the United team defensively, and offensively
How United may look to lineup
- David de Gea
- Diogo Dalot
- Raphael Varane
- Lisandro Martinez
- Luke Shaw
- Casemiro
- Christian Eriksen
- Bruno Fernandes
- Marcus Rashford
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Jadon Sancho
Thus, a midfield partnership of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes could be adopted. This midfield would have the right balance of offensive and defensive capabilities, as Casemiro would provide the cover, whilst Fernandes and Eriksen bring the technical ability needed to create the chances. The Portuguese midfielders work rate will also ensure there’s enough energy in that midfield.
Ultimately, the signing of Casemiro could be a game changing purchase for United, as it finally gives them that necessary cover, which fans have cried out wanting for years. With the Brazilians remarkable trophy record, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will be hoping Casemiro can bring that extra quality needed to get United