Manchester United are set to lose Casemiro in the summer, and the latest news surrounding Harry Maguire’s extension confirms the theory behind it.
It was always going to be a big gamble for Man Utd to lose both Casemiro and Harry Maguire in the same window due to their professionalism and experience.
That difficult gamble was made borderline impossible by Michael Carrick, who restored the club’s old guard as the interim manager.
Therefore, what Maguire has done now to ensure it doesn’t happen is what fans dreamed of seeing from Casemiro, but it’s clear now that it was never going to happen.
Casemiro playing against West Ham
Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
What GRADE would you give Casemiro for his performances this season?
Do you agree with our grades for his first three? Let's hear yours…
Casemiro seasons
Getty Images
Harry Maguire’s sacrifice for new Man Utd contract
Maguire recently turned 33, so he needed to be realistic about his prospects for an extension despite turning his story around at Man Utd.
Should Harry Maguire get a contract extension beyond the 2025/26 season?
Harry Maguire celebrating at Anfield
Photo by PETER POWELL/AFP via Getty Images
His current contract entitles him to about £190k/week, a figure that just doesn’t resonate with Ineos’ efforts to balance the wage books.
More United News
It is not entirely beyond thought that Maguire wouldn’t even be offered an extension had he not made himself undeniable this season.
That makes his sacrifice all the more notable, because iPaper reports that he’s willing to drop his wages from the current figure to almost £100k/week.
Now, £100k/week is not something any general person will scoff over, but the fact is that Maguire has taken almost a 50% pay cut to match his actions with his words.
He has spoken previously about wanting to stay at United, and his actions during contract talks have reflected that stance.
It stands in sharp contrast to Casemiro, who wanted to give clarity to United as soon as the club decided not to trigger his extension.
Casemiro exit theory is now confirmed
Maguire’s contract also had an extension option, which got triggered last season, but Casemiro’s extension option was clearly too lucrative for the club to consider.
He earns far more than Maguire, so United decided not to trigger the option to extend. However, it didn’t need to be the end.
Casemiro took that as a sign for his exit, but considering his form, it goes without saying that United would have entered fresh talks for an extension if he wanted to stay.
The Brazilian hasn’t let the levels drop even the slightest bit, but he’s clearly made a personal choice to move after not getting the wages that he is on right now.
That’s what fans theorised about Casemiro as well, that it was never about the club forcing him out. Yes, the extension didn’t seem financially viable for United, but they would have been happy to keep him.
Once he realised that, further talks were out of the question for him, and he announced his departure.
Casemiro doesn’t owe the club anything except full effort while he’s still under contract, which he’s doing, but Maguire has definitely solidified his legacy further with his sacrifice.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox