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'Man Utd had pants pulled down after spending over £160m on Casemiro's incompetence'
JEREMY CROSS: Manchester United have paid Casemiro £350,000 every week since he signed for the club - and it's been one of the worst pound for pound signings in the Red Devils' history
Eyebrows were raised when Manchester United decided to commit more than £160m to signing Brazilian legend Casemiro from Real Madrid. Not least from the midfielder himself.
The suggestion is Casemiro couldn't quite believe United were willing to hand him a deal worth £350,000-a-week that took him to the age of 35. So he signed on the dotted line as fast as he could.
What Casemiro neglected to tell his new club at the time, however, was the fact he was passed his best, had fitness problems and would be washed up before half of the contract had been fulfilled.
Sir Alex Ferguson once said United wouldn't sell bitter rivals Real "a virus". But when the shoe was on the other foot, Real flogged United someone they wanted to get rid of, who has now gone on to become one of the most expensive disappointments in the English club's long and proud history.
In terms of a pound-for-pound deal, United have had their pants pulled down. OK, so Jadon Sancho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund might come into the same conversation, considering how much the trio cost compared to how much they've delivered.
Do you think Casemiro is one of the worst flops in Manchester United history? Let us know in the comments section below.
But all three are still young and could go on to prove value for money in the future. But time is something Casemiro is running out of - and fast.
Casemiro produced one of the worst individual defensive performances in history during United's recent drubbing at Crystal Palace. But instead of moving him back into midfield, Erik ten Hag persisted with putting his square peg into a round hole when title-chasing Arsenal came to Old Trafford at the weekend.
And look what happened? Casemiro's incompetence led to the winning goal for Leandro Trossard.
Casemiro is not the future. He never was.
He's an incredibly expensive sticking plaster now peeling off, to reveal the full extent of the gaping wounds that exist within Ten Hag's entitled but limited squad.
He was supposed to be the "cement between the stones", according to Ten Hag when Casemiro joined in the summer of 2022. But Casemiro has got stuck in the concrete. A desperate signing for a desperate club who needed their egos massaging.
New United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to make the club great again. But some of the things he's finding beneath all the rubble are not salvageable.
He has a long 'to do' list, and right at the top of it should be getting rid of Casemiro. United might have to send him out on-loan, or even make Casemiro an offer on what remains on his contract, because let's be honest, which club is going to pay a bloke in his 30s £1.4m-a-month?
Like others around him in the United dressing room, Casemiro appears to have gone on all levels. And gone from Old Trafford is now the best scenario for all those concerned.
Daily Star Sunday
![1_English-Premier-League-Manchester-United-vs-Arsenal-United-Kingdom-12-May-2024.jpg](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32799666.ece/ALTERNATES/s1176b/1_English-Premier-League-Manchester-United-vs-Arsenal-United-Kingdom-12-May-2024.jpg)
JEREMY CROSS: Manchester United have paid Casemiro £350,000 every week since he signed for the club - and it's been one of the worst pound for pound signings in the Red Devils' history
Eyebrows were raised when Manchester United decided to commit more than £160m to signing Brazilian legend Casemiro from Real Madrid. Not least from the midfielder himself.
The suggestion is Casemiro couldn't quite believe United were willing to hand him a deal worth £350,000-a-week that took him to the age of 35. So he signed on the dotted line as fast as he could.
What Casemiro neglected to tell his new club at the time, however, was the fact he was passed his best, had fitness problems and would be washed up before half of the contract had been fulfilled.
Sir Alex Ferguson once said United wouldn't sell bitter rivals Real "a virus". But when the shoe was on the other foot, Real flogged United someone they wanted to get rid of, who has now gone on to become one of the most expensive disappointments in the English club's long and proud history.
In terms of a pound-for-pound deal, United have had their pants pulled down. OK, so Jadon Sancho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund might come into the same conversation, considering how much the trio cost compared to how much they've delivered.
Do you think Casemiro is one of the worst flops in Manchester United history? Let us know in the comments section below.
But all three are still young and could go on to prove value for money in the future. But time is something Casemiro is running out of - and fast.
Casemiro produced one of the worst individual defensive performances in history during United's recent drubbing at Crystal Palace. But instead of moving him back into midfield, Erik ten Hag persisted with putting his square peg into a round hole when title-chasing Arsenal came to Old Trafford at the weekend.
And look what happened? Casemiro's incompetence led to the winning goal for Leandro Trossard.
Casemiro is not the future. He never was.
He's an incredibly expensive sticking plaster now peeling off, to reveal the full extent of the gaping wounds that exist within Ten Hag's entitled but limited squad.
He was supposed to be the "cement between the stones", according to Ten Hag when Casemiro joined in the summer of 2022. But Casemiro has got stuck in the concrete. A desperate signing for a desperate club who needed their egos massaging.
New United investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to make the club great again. But some of the things he's finding beneath all the rubble are not salvageable.
He has a long 'to do' list, and right at the top of it should be getting rid of Casemiro. United might have to send him out on-loan, or even make Casemiro an offer on what remains on his contract, because let's be honest, which club is going to pay a bloke in his 30s £1.4m-a-month?
Like others around him in the United dressing room, Casemiro appears to have gone on all levels. And gone from Old Trafford is now the best scenario for all those concerned.
Daily Star Sunday