Casemiro of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on March 15, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Casemiro is set to leave Manchester in the summer(Image: Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
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Casemiro's willingness in the past to accept reduced wages demonstrates the Manchester United midfielder's priorities aren't solely focused on financial gain. The 34-year-old ranks among the finest midfielders of his era and with 19 career club honours to his credit, he's created an enduring legacy of what he's accomplished across his 16 years as a professional footballer.
Currently in his fourth season at Old Trafford, the Brazilian is poised to depart the club at the season's end. This news came after the club chose not to activate the one-year extension on his reported £350,000-a-week contract.
With the club opting to remove Casemiro's substantial salary from their wage bill, despite his strong displays, some have questioned whether the midfielder might remain in Manchester on reduced terms.
Should an agreement be reached on those conditions, it won't be the first occasion the five-time Champions League victor has sacrificed his earnings for the collective benefit.
Throughout his spell with Real Madrid, the club's board reportedly tried to persuade the squad to consent to a wage cut during the Covid-19 lockdown.
According to popular Spanish TV programme El Chiringuito, presenter Eduardo Inda claimed Real had proposed a 10% reduction of their salaries with Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema, Marcelo and Raphael Varane delivering the news to the remainder of the squad.
Luka Modric of Real Madrid, Carlos Henrique Casemiro of Real Madrid, Toni Kroos of Real Madrid celebrating the victory with the trophy during the UEFA Super Cup match between Real Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt at the Olympic Stadium Helsinki on August 10, 2022 in Helsinki Finland.
Casemiro accepted a potential pay cut while at Real Madrid(Image: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
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Inda stated that every member of the team, except one, turned down the wage reduction, citing the salary cut the previous year. The single player prepared to accept the pay decrease was actually Casemiro, according to the pundit.
With seven goals for the campaign, including two in United's previous three fixtures, his absence will be deeply felt by the club who Casemiro said he will "carry" with him for the rest of his life. Speaking in a video that confirmed his forthcoming departure, Casemiro explained: "It means so much, not just for me, but for all my family.
"It is so special and I will always carry this club with me for all my life. I will always be a Manchester United fan, my whole family too. In England, I am red, I am Manchester United until death. So all I want to say is: thank you for everything."
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