Paul Scholes urges £70m United player to switch to survival mode or leave club for good
Casemiro’s future at Manchester United has been cast into doubt after a disappointing start to the season.
When Manchester United signed Casemiro for £70m in 2022 it seemed like a risk worth taking. The Red Devils were in need of a defensive midfielder and the Brazilian was the best in the business.
Casemiro enjoyed a superb debut season but the drop in his performance levels over the last two seasons has been alarming and at 32 years old it doesn’t look as though they will pick back up again.
United wanted to sell Casemiro this summer and there was interest from the Saudi Pro League, but a deal never came to fruition. His performances towards the end of last season were getting worse and worse and, unfortunately, that has carried over into 2024/25.
Against Liverpool, Casemiro had his worst-ever game in a United shirt – perhaps the worst in his career. He was hooked off at half-time and lost his place in the starting lineup against Southampton.
Gary Neville compared Casemiro’s performance to his final display in a United shirt against West Brom, and he pointed out a “crazy” moment that sealed his fate.
Casemiro of Manchester United looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Fulham FC at Old Trafford on August 16, 202…
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Paul Scholes advice to Casemiro
Casemiro has become a real problem for United this season. He is a “big character” in the dressing room and is the club’s top earner, yet no supporter wants him near the starting lineup.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has now given his verdict on Casemiro, and there is no one who knows the position better.
In an interview with Manchester Evening News, Scholes said: “There’s no doubt Casemiro is a brilliant player for what he’s done, but I just think when you get into your early 30s, you almost have to go into survival mode and start to look after yourself.
“I don’t think he does that. He runs too much, if anything. If he just stayed and played his position, I think he’d be alright. I think about when I got into my 30s and I thought I have to survive here.
“I’ll play in my position, I’ll stay here and not go forward that much, I’ll defend when I can, but when I played we had brilliant forward players so I didn’t really have to get involved with that, I could just stay back and relax, whereas he probably feels his forward players aren’t good.
“It seems like he’s got to help them out and I think that’s taking away from his own game and what he’s good at, which is just sitting there. He’s not asking me for advice, but if I could advise him, I’d say stay in your position, let everybody else around the pitch do the running.”
Scholes sums up his advice to Casemiro in four words: “Stay in your position”. The gaping holes in United’s midfield have been a huge issue for months now and Casemiro has certainly not helped.
What next for Casemiro?
It is difficult to picture Casemiro earning his starting spot back. Especially after Manuel Ugarte’s perfect debut against Southampton.
Kobbie Mainoo and Ugarte look set to become the first-choice midfield duo, and even beyond that duo, Christian Eriksen climbed up the pecking order with an impressive return against the Saints and Mason Mount will be back in contention when he returns from injury.
After failing to get a deal over the line for Casemiro in the summer, the club must try to offload him again in January. United cannot afford to continue paying such huge wages for a player who has dropped out of the starting lineup.
Erik ten Hag needs an energetic and lively midfield pairing for his system to work, and unfortunately for Casemiro he no longer fits the bill.
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