'The situation is not good' - €70m Man Utd star ready to jump ship
Tom Weber
- Updated: 22 Nov 2023 21:26 GMT
- 3 min read
Casemiro is seriously considering leaving Manchester United, but the Red Devils are not particularly keen on losing him, according to a report.
It has been a strange season for the Brazilian. He has won plaudits with his goalscoring exploits but his defensive nous and overall level of play have left a lot to be desired, leading to suggestions that the 31-year-old is coming to the end of his time at the top level.
These suggestions are now backed up by a report from Relevo, which asserts that the ex-Real Madrid man is weighing up whether he should leave Man Utd for Saudi Arabia. Casemiro had originally joined from Los Blancos - for a whopping €71 million - in search of a new challenge in the hopes of continuing to be successful among Europe's elite.
Things haven't panned out that way, however. Despite a promising first season under Erik ten Hag, Man Utd are in crisis this term and rather than challenging for titles, they will be hoping to at least qualify for the Champions League again come the end of the campaign. "The situation is not good," writes the Spanish outlet, "and they [Man Utd] understand that there is a possibility of losing him."
Man Utd's stance
The report asserts that Casemiro is keen to retire in the Saudi Pro League, playing in a less demanding league with some familiar faces and pocketing one last, big paycheck.
Yet in contrast to recent assertions in the English media, the Spanish outlet claims that Man Utd have absolutely no intention of letting the midfielder leave. The report does acknowledge, however, that United could be tempted to change their tune at the right price.
Either way, talk of a potential exit of Casemiro in 2024 is picking up steam. A summer move is more likely, but if a Saudi club comes knocking in January, Casemiro's desire to depart coupled with Man Utd's Financial Fair Play issues could make a transfer inevitable.
