Casemiro is due to leave Manchester United on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer, and the Brazil midfielder is still keen on staying in Europe
Casemiro arriving at a Manchester United match
Manchester United have decided not to keep Casemiro next season(Image: Ash Donelon, Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Casemiro is seeking a move to another elite European club this summer, rather than relocating to Saudi Arabia or the United States. Manchester United confirmed during January that the midfielder will depart when his contract runs out on 30 June.
Casemiro's agreement contains a clause to extend by a further year, but the club have opted not to retain him for a fifth year. With fewer than six months left on his existing contract, the Brazil international can negotiate a pre-contract arrangement with clubs beyond England.
No agreement has yet emerged publicly. However, Casemiro is understood to be eager to remain in Europe.
The Sun reports sources close to the player have suggested Italy represents a possible destination. They point to his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric and his transfer to AC Milan last summer as a precedent.
Casemiro is six-and-a-half years younger than the 2018 Ballon d'Or recipient, who celebrated his 40th birthday in September. He has also devoted the past 13 years of his career to playing European football since departing Sao Paulo in January 2013, initially on loan, for Madrid.
Speculation regarding a switch to Italy comes after former United striker Dion Dublin's appeal for Casemiro to remain. He told OLBG that United ought to allocate some of their transfer funds to offer him fresh terms.
Casemiro and Luka Modric battle for the ball when Brazil played Croatia at the 2022 World Cup
Casemiro could follow Luka Modric to Italy this summer(Image: DeFodi Images, DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
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Dublin said: "[Casemiro's] been sort of 75% and he's had his dips where people said, 'oh, his legs are gone, oh, his legs are gone, he can't run around anymore, he can't do this, he can't do that. To be honest with you, I retired at 39; my legs went about 33.
"If you can do your job and you're clever with it, then I think you'll have a long time in the game. I retired at 39, so I knew how to manage my body.
"The managers that I had knew how to manage me,' just do two or three days of training, that's fine,' because they knew what they'd get on a match day. I think it's the same with Casemiro.
"His footballing brain and knowledge are just outstanding. If you watch Casemiro, who tries to play a pass and it gets cut out, and then the other team go and breaks, and they might have had a chance, but if that pass comes up again, he'll try it again.
"I just think you have to try and find somebody when he goes, that's as brave as him, as clever as him, and as Man United as him, to be honest with you, because he's loved it. Absolutely, I like watching him play."
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