Casemiro is no longer a Manchester United player, and for some, that might well be good news, with the cult Old Trafford hero having endured a wretched World Cup with Brazil.
Hauled off at half-time in the opening group game against Morocco, the 34-year-old looked slow and sluggish in the American heat, the epitome of a toiling side under Carlo Ancelotti.
Against Japan, for instance, the veteran midfielder did pop up to equalise after the break, yet he had been at fault for the opposition’s opener, after previously picking up an early yellow card following a typically reckless challenge in the opening exchanges.
He was instrumental under Michael Carrick in 2026, but the right decision was taken to let him bow out on a high, even amid the cries of ‘one more year, Casemiro’ that boomed around the Theatre of Dreams.
Regardless of how he’s performed in recent weeks, the ex-Real Madrid man will still leave a sizeable void to be filled this summer.
Vivell leading Man Utd pursuit of £50m Casemiro successor
Pre-season is almost here, and no new signings have been made, with even news of Ederson’s announcement having gone a little stale of late.
There have been claims that United officials have flown to try to spark up a deal for Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, although there is still nothing too concrete on that front.
As was shown in the pursuits of both Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes, INEOS clearly have a preference for Premier League-ready options, hence why Chelsea’s Andrey Santos is now firmly on the shortlist.
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According to Fabrizio Romano – speaking on his YouTube channel – this interest in Santos appears to be being led by Christopher Vivell, following his prior work at Stamford Bridge.
“For Andrey Santos, they had contact with the agent of the player, and it’s not the first contact because it’s something that started a long time ago in February and in March.
“Man United had two meetings with Juliano Bertoi, the Brazilian agent who represents Andrey Santos. So there is a good feedback between Man United and Andrey Santos.
“He’s a possibility. He’s a name that also Christopher Vivell, who was at Chelsea and then joined Manchester United management, knows very well.
“So for sure is one of the names on the list. At the moment, Chelsea are yet to receive any bid from Manchester United, but he’s one of the names on the list at Man United”
This comes following claims that United are exploring a potential deal for the young Brazilian, with a fee of around £50m having been mooted.
Man Utd could be set to sign a “mix between Guimaraes & Casemiro”
It feels like the end of an era for Brazil, with this summer’s early World Cup exit already set to spell the end for Neymar, with it set to be no surprise if Casemiro calls time on his own international career.
That might open the door for Santos to force his way into Ancelotti’s plans permanently moving forward, the former Vasco de Gama man the type of player who can breathe new life into the South American giants – as he could also do for United.
He has already received notable praise in recent years, having been likened to two high-profile compatriots by Brazilian football expert, Filippo Silva, who suggested that Santos is “maybe a bit of a mix between Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro”.
Guimaraes – a reported target for Arsenal – did miss what proved to be a decisive penalty in Brazil’s defeat to Norway, although it was a credible tournament for the Newcastle United skipper, as he registered four assists alongside an average of two key passes per game.
The 28-year-old is a forward-thinking, all-action number eight, while Casemiro is a ball-winning brute of a number six at his best. In Santos’ case, he seems to be the best of both worlds.
|
Man Utd top scorers – PL 25/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Goals |
|
Mbeumo |
11 |
|
Sesko |
11 |
|
Cunha |
10 |
|
Fernandes |
9 |
|
Casemiro |
9 |
|
Dorgu |
4 |
|
Mount |
3 |
|
Amad |
2 |
|
Zirkzee |
2 |
Indeed, while yet to really nail down a regular role at Stamford Bridge, his prior work on loan at Strasbourg does offer enough reason for encouragement.
In 2024/25 in Ligue 1, for instance, Santos scored and assisted 13 goals for the French outfit, having also created eight ‘big chances’ from his box-to-box role.
It is that attacking intent which he shares with Guimaraes, while that season in France also highlighted the youngster’s Casemiro-esque traits defensively, after averaging a mammoth 4.4 tackles and interceptions per game.
For comparison, during Casemiro’s standout first season at United in 2022/23, the £70m man was also averaging 4.4 per game in that regard in the Premier League.
Santos might not be a glamour, marquee name, but his prowess both in and out of possession is to be admired, with it no surprise why Vivell is leading the chase for his signature again.
Even if it comes from a left-field source, this could be the Casemiro replacement that United have been looking for.
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