Manchester United are desperate to part ways with waning midfield general Casemiro, and want to sell him as soon as possible in January.
The 32-year-old was a revelation at Old Trafford when he joined in 2022 for £60m from Real Madrid, but his abject form last season made his departure in the summer seem a certainty amid reported interest from teams in Saudi Arabia.
In the end a move failed to materialise, and despite bringing in Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain as Casemiro’s long-term successor, manager Erik ten Hag still has the Brazilian ball-winner in his squad this time around.
But according to former United chief scout Mick Brown, United can’t wait to get Casemiro – and his astronomical wages – off their books.
“I’m told they’ll look to cash in on him as soon as they can, on the 1st of January if possible,” Brown told Football Insider.
“He’s one of the biggest wage-earners and he’s not going to feature regularly in the first team. He’s been benched because he hasn’t been performing and can’t do it anymore.”
Casemiro has been demoted to a bit-part role in the United midfield, with 32-year-old Christian Eriksen often preferred to partner Kobbie Mainoo in the centre of the park and Ugarte waiting in the wings despite a difficult start to life in Manchester.
The Brazilian’s last start was in United’s humbling 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, when he was hauled off at half time after a nightmare performance and replaced by 20-year-old Toby Collyer.
Brown also noted the financial situation surrounding Casemiro. “I’m sure they would love to offload him if they could to get him out of the squad and off the wage bill, which would allow them to spend some money,” he said.
“Whether it’s a move to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, you’ve got to find someone who’s willing to pay the money both to United and to him. They’re not going to make back anywhere near what they paid for him but they’ll look to bring in some money if they do let him go.”
Last month it was reported that Casemiro himself was considering a January exit, and a New Year’s Day departure could be in the best interests of all involved.
Casemiro has featured nine times for United in all competitions this season, which started with a glimmer of hope and some tidy performances but quickly nosedived, leaving the Brazilian looking more off the pace than ever.
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