Man Utd have been sent advice over Casemiro
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has cleared the path for Casemiro to depart Old Trafford before the transfer window closes amid claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made a firm move to sign him for Besiktas and with the Red Devils dramatically cutting their asking price to facilitate a move.
The 32-year-old is now in his third season at Old Trafford, having arrived in a hefty £70m package from Real Madrid in summer 2022 and on wages of around £350,000 a week. While Casemiro enjoyed an excellent first season under then boss Erik ten Hag, he struggled badly in his second season in the Premier League and now finds himself on the fringes of the Manchester United side, having fallen even further down the pecking order under Amorim.
Indeed, Casemiro last played for United back on December 30 in a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle, and last completed a full 90 minutes for the club all the way back in November in a Europa League game against PAOK Salonika.
An unused substitute in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Fulham, Casemiro has now been surpassed by 21-year-old Toby Collyer in the Red Devils ranks – giving Amorim further reason to offload a player who is currently the club’s highest earner.
As a result, Spanish paper AS claims United’s decision to move on the star, together with the fact that they are now ready to accept a reduced price for the Brazilian midfielder, has given Besiktas strong belief a move is there to be done.
Per the report, the 75-times capped star has now been made a priority target for Solskjaer, now in charge of Besiktas, amid claims he is ‘pushing his board’ to bring in the player during the winter window.
With 17 months left on his contract, United know they will have to take a hefty hit to move the player on and it’s understood they are now ready to accept a fee some distance less than their original £30m asking price amid claims an offer potentially as low as £15m to £20m could persuade them to let Casemiro leave.
Amorim’s stance on Casemiro quite clear
Amorim, for his part, will not stand in the player’s way having refused to give the player a minute of action this calendar year. The midfielder was badly exposed in the club’s 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle at the turn of the year, and it’s understood that the manager was given a grim reality check over the player’s ability to cut it as a top-level Premier League player these days.
With Christian Eriksen also set to depart at the end of his contract at the end of the season, Sir Jim Ratcliffe hopes to move another £150,000 a week off the club’s weekly spending, which combined with the departure of Casemiro, will add another £2m a month – and £24m a year – to their coffers.
Asked about his preference to use 21-year-old Collyer ahead of Casemiro in recent matches, Amorim appeared to suggest Casemiro’s days as a Manchester United player may now be numbered.
“He has to have the characteristics and then I have to choose the player with the characteristics on how I see the game,” Amorim said on Thursday when asked about Casemiro’s repeated absence from his starting line-ups.
“It is just like that and I have to make some choices, I want to play a game that is sometimes different from other coaches and I have to choose based on that. That’s all.”
Man Utd transfer latest: Amorim tears into Rashford; Dorgu hopes grow
Meanwhile, Amorim appears to have signalled the end of Marcus Rashford’s time at Manchester United with an incredible dig at the star’s attitude and having ruthlessly claimed he would rather put a 63-year-old United coach on the bench before turning to the 27-year-old.
With a week left in the transfer window, it seems Rashford’s time at Old Trafford is now done and with his most likely next club also coming to light.
Elsewhere, United have at least successfully managed to move one of their fringe players on this month with Ethan Wheatley agreeing a move down to League Two where he will spend the rest of the season with a promotion-chasing side.
Meanwhile, hopes are growing over a deal for Amorim’s top target this month in Patrick Dorgu. The Red Devils have seen two offers rejected for the player but hopes are growing that a move can be agreed in the coming days amid claims his side Lecce are ready to make a big compromise over the fee.
