Finally, Casemiro will leave Old Trafford as a Manchester United player on Sunday afternoon, a day that will mark the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
By all accounts, with Michael Carrick’s permanent appointment now imminent, the Englishman is ready to move on to a different challenge, having fulfilled his brief as a temporary.
The chapter is just beginning for Carrick in the United dugout, and for Casemiro, it’s a wild ride in hopes of a fitting farewell, with the £70m Brazilian deserving of a proper send-off after four memorable years in Manchester.
|
Casemiro vs Carrick – last PL season** |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Casemiro (25/26) |
Statistics (*per game) |
Carrick (16/17) |
|
33 |
Games |
23 |
|
32 |
It starts |
18 |
|
9 |
Goals |
0 |
|
2 |
It helps |
0 |
|
4 |
Great opportunities have been created |
0 |
|
1.0 |
Key passes* |
0.5 |
|
81% |
Pass accuracy* |
89% |
|
2.7 |
fight* |
1.1 |
|
0.9 |
meeting* |
1.8 |
|
11.0 |
Ball lost* |
3.9 |
|
**full PL season – Carrick played 2 games in 17/18 |
||
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but as last week’s draw at Sunderland showed in his absence, the 34-year-old will take his place this summer.
Man Utd are ready to make a big-money bid to sign Casemiro’s replacement
Casemiro’s dream replacement could be on the pitch on Sunday, with the Red Devils set to face Nottingham Forest and Elliot Anderson in the Premier League penultimate game of the campaign.
Looking set to join Manchester City, with recent reports suggesting Anderson could opt for a move to Old Trafford instead, there may be a few words in the ear from United players this weekend.
The 23-year-old is the main target, by all accounts, although he is not the only one, with reports in Italy offering the latest on former Newcastle United team-mate Sandro Tonali.
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According to reports in Italy, INEOS are ready to make a ‘highest offer’ for the Italian international, with Newcastle reportedly on the market this summer.
No exact figure has been suggested for that potential bid, although the report suggests the Magpies want at least €100m (£87m).
Tonali, formerly of AC Milan, moved to St James’ Park in a £55m deal in 2023.
Why Tonali would actually be better than Casemiro
It’s a week where Jamie Carragher is forced to eat pie, following his earlier criticism of Casemiro, and expectations that the South American will re-emerge as a driving force at United once again.
Two years since that tonight at Selhurst Park, the veteran will be on his knees, having scored nine league goals so far this season, the best he has achieved in his entire professional career.
He gets plaudits, and rightly so, yet there’s a nagging feeling that the midfield unit is still a problem, often wide open in the middle, be it in the first half against Brentford or the second half against Liverpool.
Casemiro, in particular, was fouled 1.4 times per game, while actually making four fouls that led to shots. For context, Premier League player of the year Declan Rice has been fouled just 0.4 times per game, making just one error leading to a goal.
Casemiro’s running is a problem, even amid his goalscoring form, which is why Tonali could represent an upgrade, a player club legend Paul Scholes even hailed as “better than Rice” at the start of the season.
He passed 0.7 times himself, Tonali is old, he is a midfielder, he appears here, there, and everywhere, his speed and power are amazing.
It hasn’t been the season he or Newcastle were hoping for, although the 26-year-old still bests Casemiro in terms of ‘big chances’ created (six vs four) and accuracy rate (84% vs 81%), highlighting his superior ball handling skills.
Equally, even in a difficult year, he made only one mistake that led to a shot, while only taking 0.7 fouls per game on average, half as many as Casemiro has been forced into this season.
He also bested the former Real Madrid hero in all wins (54% vs 53%) and ground duels won (55% vs 54%), with that added intensity also seen as Tonali won 1.2 fouls per game on average – a tough man to handle when he’s on full speed.
Voted by Scholes as the best midfielder in the Premier League at one point, the £87m powerhouse appears to be in need of a fresh start, with Newcastle having endured a collective decline under Eddie Howe.
Casemiro, as has been made clear, will not be easy to replace, such is his influence, but if United want a machine like Rice, in midfield, Tonali could be the best solution.
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