Remember when Casemiro landed at Old Trafford in August 2022? It felt like a seismic shift. Manchester United, after years of midfield malaise, finally had their destroyer, their five-time Champions League winner, bought for a cool £60 million from Real Madrid. He immediately stabilized Erik ten Hag's side, helping them to a Carabao Cup triumph and a third-place Premier League finish in his debut season. He bagged four goals and three assists in 28 league appearances, a vital cog in a team that desperately needed his bite.
Here's the thing: things went south, fast. This past season, Casemiro looked a shadow of himself. He struggled with injuries, missing 17 games across all competitions. When he was on the pitch, particularly in the later stages, he often looked overwhelmed, slow, a step behind the pace of the Premier League. Remember that 4-0 drubbing at Crystal Palace in May? Casemiro was played at center-back, looked utterly lost, and was directly at fault for at least two goals. It was a brutal watch for anyone who remembered his peak. He still managed 25 league appearances, but the impact was negligible, often negative.
Now, Al-Ittihad are sniffing around, eyeing a free transfer for next season. Sources tell ESPN they're interested, but it all hinges on another former Premier League star: Fabinho. Fabinho, who joined Al-Ittihad from Liverpool last summer for £40 million, reportedly wants out. If he moves on, it opens a Designated Player spot and frees up significant wages. Al-Ittihad, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions, finished fifth last season, a massive disappointment, and they're looking to shake things up. They've already got N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema on their books, but the team's performance dipped dramatically after their title-winning 2022-23 campaign. They scored 67 goals last season, 19 fewer than Al-Hilal. They need fresh blood, and a name like Casemiro still carries weight, even if his form has dipped.
This isn't just about Casemiro's individual decline; it’s about United’s strategic blunders. Paying £60 million for a 30-year-old midfielder with a history of big minutes was always a risk, even if he delivered for a year. His reported £350,000-a-week wages are an albatross around United’s neck. Getting him off the books, even without a transfer fee, would be a massive win for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS as they try to rebuild. They need to shed high earners and bring in players who fit Ten Hag's system, assuming Ten Hag even survives the summer. My controversial take? United should bite Al-Ittihad's hand off. Even if it's a free transfer, offloading that wage bill is worth more than any nominal fee they might get for a player who looks past his best.
If Casemiro goes, United's midfield picture becomes even murkier. Kobbie Mainoo emerged as a genuine star this season, making 24 league starts and scoring three goals, including that beauty in the FA Cup final against Manchester City. But he's 19. Scott McTominay, while scoring seven league goals, isn't a long-term solution as a holding midfielder. Sofyan Amrabat's loan from Fiorentina probably won't be made permanent. Christian Eriksen is likely leaving. United needs at least two, maybe three, new midfielders. They've been linked with Benfica's João Neves, a 19-year-old defensive midfielder, but he'd cost a fortune.
Real talk: United's transfer strategy has been a mess for years. They've spent over £1.5 billion since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with very little to show for it. The Casemiro deal, while initially successful, now looks like another example of short-term thinking leading to long-term problems. If Al-Ittihad can offer a way out, United needs to take it, and quickly. My bold prediction? Casemiro is playing in Saudi Arabia by September 1st, and United will still be scrambling to fix their midfield.