Jamie Carragher called on Casemiro to leave top level football or run the risk of becoming a laughing stock, and TEAMtalk has learned the Brazilian has accepted his time in the Premier League is up and talks over a transfer are already underway.
Casemiro enjoyed a fantastic debut campaign at Old Trafford following his eye-catching £70m (including add-ons) arrival from Real Madrid. However, that one big final push was perhaps all the Brazilian had left in the tank, with Casemiro showing dramatic signs of decline at the second time of asking.
The 32-year-old’s glittering career hit rock bottom on Monday night during Man Utd’s thumping 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace.
Casemiro was deployed out of position as a makeshift centre-half and struggled terribly in the role. He was dribbled past eight times in the contest – a record for any one player in the Premier League this season.
Working as a pundit for Sky Sports, former defender Jamie Carragher claimed that the Palace humiliation will have made it crystal clear to Casemiro that his days as an elite-level footballer are over.
Furthermore, Carragher called upon Casemiro and Man Utd to come to some sort of agreement over a summer exit. In Carragher’s mind, Casemiro simply must not play for Man Utd next season for the benefit of both the club and the player.
Carragher’s ruthless Casemiro assessment in full
“Casemiro should know tonight as an experienced player that he should only have another three games left at the top level – the next two [Premier] league games and the [FA] cup final – then he should be thinking I need to go to the MLS or Saudi,” declared Carragher.
“I’m deadly serious – his agent, the team of people around him, they need to tell him: this has to stop.
“We are watching one of the greats of the modern time, playing in the best midfields we have seen who have dominated Europe – him holding, [Toni] Kroos to one side, [Luka] Modric to the other was one of the best midfields.
“It could easily go up against the Barcelona midfield that we all loved of [Sergio] Busquets, Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta. So he’s been an absolute great.
“I am nowhere near on a level of what that man has achieved, [winning] Champions Leagues, playing for Brazil and Real Madrid.
“But I always remember something when I retired myself, and there was a saying I always remember as a footballer: ‘Leave the football, before the football leaves you.’
“The football has left him – at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level of football and move.”
When presenter Dave Jones suggested Casemiro might put up resistance to a sale given he’s got two years still to run on a contract worth a lucrative £350,000-a-week, Carragher added: “They should pay him off and do some sort of deal.
“But the level of that player, should not be putting himself through this. He’s too good of a player to be putting in a performance like that and being laughed at…by Crystal Palace.
“He’s not playing Manchester City or Real Madrid, all due to respect to Crystal Palace.
“A man of that level should not be going through what he’s going through now and he needs to call it a day.”
Saudi transfer gathers pace
TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Rudy Galetti, revealed on Monday that Man Utd were already trying to find an exit solution for Casemiro prior to the Crystal Palace debacle.
Furthermore, we understand Casemiro is open to accepting a new challenge elsewhere.
Galetti noted the player’s agents are already in the process of meeting numerous clubs abroad to find the next destination. A switch to Saudi Arabia is emerging as by far the likeliest outcome.
We can confirm that Casemiro was ‘offered’ directly to Al-Nassr in January, but in recent weeks the 32-year-old has become a top target for the entire Saudi Pro League.
Negotiations are currently ongoing with important figures in the Gulf State to better understand which club best suits Casemiro.
In addition to Al-Nassr – the club of his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo – sources say that Al-Ahli, who are actively looking for a new midfielder, and Al Hilal are in the race for his signature.
Once Casemiro and his entourage have decided on his ideal next club, a new round of meetings are expected to discuss his personal terms for a possible transfer.
If the Brazilian gives the green light to a move, the Saudi negotiators will open talks with Man Utd, who are looking to receive around €35m (approx. £30m) for him.
Man Utd are open to selling Casemiro but intend to hold out for their price tag which they are standing firm on given it should not be a problem for the three wealthy Saudi sides.
