Manchester United have announced a deal in principle to sign Casemiro – and the Real Madrid midfielder will become one of the club’s highest earners when he arrives.
United announced on Friday evening that they had got a deal over the line with Real. The 30-year-old Brazil international will become the club’s fourth summer signing once he has undergone a medical and completed all the necessary checks.
Casemiro, who is reportedly flying by private jet to Manchester on Saturday, will set United back an initial fee of £60million plus a further £10m in potential add-ons, due to his talent and experience, but also the fact he had three years left on his Real deal. He is expected to sign a four-year contract which will include the option of a further 12 months.
While Casemiro will become one of the club’s highest earners, somewhere close to David de Gea, who pulls in £375,000 per week, there are some catches. BBC Sport says the holding midfielder’s contract is ‘heavily performance related’ with qualification for the Champions League a major factor in the small print.
United will play in the Europa League this season after finishing sixth following a miserable 2021/22 campaign under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick. They will need to finish in the top four, or win the Europa League, to return to European club football’s biggest competition next campaign.
Casemiro is no stranger to the Champions League. In fact, he is one of the competition’s most successful ever players, having helped Real win the trophy five times during his nine years with the club after joining from Sao Paulo.
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He will be joining a side who are currently rock-bottom of the Premier League, having lost both of their opening two matches under Erik ten Hag. United were beaten 2-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford on the opening weekend before an embarrassing 4-0 capitulation against Brentford last weekend.
Perhaps this is what Carlo Ancelotti was alluding to when he spoke about the Brazilian’s departure. "Casemiro wants to try a new challenge, and I and the club understand that. After all, he's done for this club, we need to respect his decision,” Ancelotti said on Friday. "Casemiro's teammates understand his decision, they respect it - it was his will to try a new challenge and we have to accept it. I can't reply to why Casemiro traded European Champions for a struggling side, it's his personal decision."
Cristiano Ronaldo is by far United’s highest earner – he is paid around £500,000-a-week, with De Gea the next best paid. After them comes Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial (£250,000), Marcus Rashford (£200,000) and Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane (£190,000). Casemiro’s arrival comes too late for him to be involved in United’s home match against Liverpool on Monday night.
