Brazilian midfielder Casemiro will leave Manchester United in the summer, the club has announced. The 33-year-old Brazilian first joined United in 2022 after a long tenure at Real Madrid since 2013, where he won five Champions League titles as part of a golden generation that included Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric in the Spanish club's midfield.
Manchester United paid £70m for Casemiro in the summer of 2022, the year he won Champions League and LaLiga, and in his first season Manchester United finished third in Premier League. "I will carry Manchester United with me throughout my entire life. It is not time to say goodbye; there are many more memories to create during the next four months", said Casemiro in a statement.
"We still have a lot to fight for together; my complete focus will, as always, remain on giving my everything to help our club to succeed".
Manchester United reportedly wants to reduce salaries, and Casemiro earned too much
With Manchester United, Casemiro won EFL Cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024, but has also seen one of the worst periods ever for the distinguished English team, with the worst-of-all-time domestic results that resulted in the sacking of several managers, including Rúben Amorim this month.
The decision to not renew Casemiro's contract is said to be to reduce wages, as co-owner Sir James Ratcliffe said last year that some players were "not good enough" and "overpaid" (via BBC). Casemiro earned £375,000-a-week but his performances were declining for the ageing footballer and did not match his pay, it's reported.