Manchester United must address their long-standing midfield issues rather than U-turn by handing Casemiro a new contract.
Casemiro got on the scoresheet when Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3-1 at Old Trafford on Sunday evening.
There was no denying Casemiro’s influence in the middle of the pitch, and his ability to win headers in the box proved crucial for his seventh goal of the season.
‘One more year, one more year, Casemiro,’ sang the Stretford End after his opening goal and following the full-time whistle. It felt reminiscent of when Edwin van der Sar announced he would be retiring at United in 2011.
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Casemiro celebrates against Aston Villa
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Casemiro exit helps Man Utd revamp midfield
There has been no suggestion whatsoever that United are planning a U-turn with Casemiro. The 34-year-old is expected to depart Old Trafford in the summer, amid suggestions he could move to the MLS after the World Cup.
Casemiro is proving that he still has what it takes to play in the top leagues in Europe, even though some United fans are suggesting he should be kept for another season.
It was announced in late January that Casemiro will leave United at the conclusion of this current season.
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The first reason United need to follow through with this decision is Casemiro’s salary – approximately £375,000 a week — which may now be put towards younger additions for the midfield department.
United’s wage bill has been driven down by Ineos. Moreover, Casemiro won’t be the only big earner to leave this summer, with Marcus Rashford also set to move on when his Barcelona loan expires.
It can be argued that United have not invested properly in midfield since Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge. That means there have been many years of overlooking the issues that have existed in the middle of the pitch.
That is why United need to use this summer to fix that. The midfield area needs serious investment and top-quality players if the team is set to compete in the Champions League next season.
Of course, replacing Casemiro will be a huge task for United. It will be difficult to find a player to replace his defensive nous, but Elliot Anderson is a contender. It’s his goalscoring and aerial threat that are irreplaceable.
This doesn’t change the fact it is going to be difficult saying goodbye to such a brilliant footballer and fantastic club servant.
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Casemiro tops charts for set piece goals scored in the Premier League
It will be a huge task to find a player who can replicate Casemiro’s goals from a defensive midfield role.
Casemiro currently tops the charts for set-piece goals scored in the Premier League this season.
The United midfielder has six goals from set pieces, whereas the highest from another player is four, which has been managed by the likes of Callum Wilson, Micky van de Ven, Malik Thiaw, Dominik Szoboszlai and Junior Kroupi.
Casemiro’s header against Villa was his seventh league goal of the season.
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