There is a cliché in football that Real Madrid don’t sell players who still have something to offer.
Madrid are known for getting every drop out of their players and offloading talent at the exact moment they begin to decline, so they can receive maximum resale value.
Manchester United thought they survived that trope when signing Casemiro in a deal worth £70million in 2022. He got off to a slow start and comparisons to Bastian Schweinsteiger were whispered, but Casemiro retained world-class ability and had an outstanding season.
The midfielder was a transformational signing. Erik ten Hag received a reality check in the first games of his tenure and Casemiro was brought in to protect the defensive line.
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It was an expensive fix but it worked. Casemiro was one of the standout performers of the season and was crucial in winning the Carabao Cup and securing a top four finish.
The problem is United peaked when winning a trophy at Wembley last February and have been on a downward trajectory since. They ended last season with a stutter, crashing out of Europe and losing the FA Cup final, and that hangover spilt into the new campaign.
United were outplayed by Wolves on the opening day of the season and were fortunate to win. They were defensively vulnerable, the midfield was easily penetrated and, with the benefit of hindsight, that set the tone for a disappointing second year in charge for Ten Hag.
It didn’t take long for fans to realise Casemiro wasn’t the same player. He’d gone from being a step ahead of phases of play to being behind, he had notably slowed down, his passing had suddenly become wayward and his drop-off was leaving United’s defenders exposed.
Just a few months into the new season, the conversation about whether Casemiro needed to be sold began and it’s only grown louder as the months have progressed.
Casemiro sustained a hamstring injury in November and it was hoped he’d return to his best after his lay-off, but his decline continued and Selhurst Park on Monday was his nadir.
“He had to bring Casemiro off at half-time,” Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports. “I know he’s got kids on the bench, but I think Casemiro should know himself, as an experienced player, he should only have four games left as a top professional – the three league games and the FA Cup final.
“He should be thinking ‘I need to go to the MLS or Saudi Arabia’. We are watching one of the greats of modern times decline and I remember the saying ‘leave the football before it leaves you’. The football has left him and he needs to call it a day at the top level and move away.”
You know something is wrong when United fans agree with Liverpool legend Carragher, whose analysis of Casemiro’s performance against Crystal Palace was brutal but correct.
Casemiro disgraced himself against Palace with a display that confirmed – if there was any doubt – he must leave this summer. He might have played out of position, but failed to complete the basics and, sadly, looked like a shadow of the player who won everything with Real Madrid.
The 32-year-old dived in with a sloppy attempt at a challenge – that has crept into this game this season – for Michael Olise’s first goal and was easily dispossessed for his second.
Casemiro got to his feet almost at the same time Olise made it 4-0 and Palace hit the post in injury time, again dispossessing the Brazilian just yards away from his own box.
Louis Jackson, an 18-year-old centre-back from the academy, was named on the bench and must play over Casemiro if there’s a choice between the pair. Jackson hasn’t made his senior debut, but starting Casemiro at the heart of the defence again would be the definition of madness.
United must sell Casemiro in the summer and obtain whatever they can to remove him from the books, as he’s one of the highest earners and his contract expires in 2026.
A significant loss on Casemiro is guaranteed and Real Madrid are having the last laugh.
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